Easy ejector seat with skeletal crash safety beam

ABSTRACT

An arrangement in passenger vehicles, that diverts the impact energy in impacts away from the passengers to the remaining mass of the vehicle thereby protecting the passengers, and in the same arrangement provides utilitarian access to the vehicle, such utilitarian access making it possible to both install multi-element contoured surround seats for passengers and the driver, and also safety devices and arrangements for head-on collision protection that protect the passenger. An indo-skeletal structural arrangement proposed for the vehicle, provides further benefits by targeting the strength of the vehicle to protect passengers while minimizing other massive elements in the vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priororty from applications entitled “EasyEjector with skeletal crash safety beam” U.S. Ser. No. 08/936,626 filedSep. 24, 1997, U.S. Ser. No. 09/404,475, U.S. Ser. No. 09/435,830, U.S.Ser. No. 60/195,298, U.S. Ser. No. 60/226,570, EPO S/N 98948260.9-2306,EPO S/N 00203896.6. and U.S. Ser. No. 09/779,591, U.S. Ser. No.09/779,592, U.S. Ser. No. 09/779,593, U.S. Ser. No. 09/779,594; U.S.60/280,470; U.S. 60/282,105; U.S. 60/286,629; U.S. 60/332,419; U.S.60/338,466; U.S. 60/367,644; U.S. 60/461,434; U.S. Ser. No. 10/279,171;US applications filed Mar. 8, 2002 and Feb. 4, 2002.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO A MICRO FICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention defines a means to incorporate in passenger motorvehicles, unique safety arrangements particularly for lateral or sideimpacts that provide energy absorption by the mass of the vehicle butdecouple the passenger from the impact acceleration and decelerationthat is provided by the mass of the vehicle, thereby protecting thepassengers during such collisions. Moreover, the same arrangementsynergistically provides utility in access, comfort and further safetyin the operating position for passengers and the driver.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the past safety of passengers was not always the priority inpassenger vehicle design. In the evolution of motor vehicle design thestructure moved from a chassis that held together the mechanicalcomponents of the vehicle—a structure that was then attached to apassenger compartment or to passenger seats. The design of the structurewas to hold together the working components of the vehicle—a criticalaspect at the time. Thereafter in more recent times right up to thepresent, Exo-skeletal designs have been the dominant paradigm. Hererigid shells were constructed to hold both the mechanical components andthe passengers in fixed positions. However such fixed shell structureshave had limited success in protecting passengers and drivers when thereare lateral collisions as passengers undergo the same impact relatedaccelerations and decelerations as the remaining parts of the vehicle,as space limitations don't allow for “crumple zones” as in the case ofimpact protection for head on collisions. Passengers are particularlyvulnerable to side impacts as they cannot take preemptive measures aswith head-on collisions where there is speed control and directionalcontrol that is available. As vehicle speeds have increasedsubstantially in the last several decades, these safety considerationsfor passengers have become critical and urgent. Vehicledesigners—particularly automobile designers—have risen admirably to thetask by incorporating myriads of devices and additions within the rigidshell paradigm to minimize risk in the event of collisions. Such devicesinclude restraints such as seat belts and certain types of protectiveair bags. However, there are limits within the rigid shell paradigm fortwo reasons: First, the energy of impact cannot be easily diverted awayfrom passengers into the remaining mass of the vehicle on impact.Second, the rigid shell needs to support high shear stresses on lateralimpact and related compressive loads to the passenger compartment of thevehicle a factor that can only be addressed with greater mass of thevehicle that will impact its performance.

Another area of interest in passenger vehicles is to provide, in synergywith the above contributions, utility and comfort of passengers anddrivers and further synergistic head-on collision protection.

There are four areas of Background art that are related to the presentinvention. These are: vehicles with sliding seats, safety arrangementsaddressing lateral impacts on passenger vehicles, air bags and othershock absorbing devices, and miscellaneous safety devices for frontalimpacts. None of the inventions in these areas individually orcollectively state or imply any aspects of the present invention.Moreover, none of this Background art even addresses the issue of energytransfer away from the passengers to the mass of the vehicle on impactand concurrently provide a mechanism for easy access to the vehicle withejector seats. This is despite the urgent need in the car industry forsuch safety and utility. Moreover the novelty of the present inventionis underscored as it provides solutions hitherto unidentified in a verylarge and competitive industry that is acutely aware of these needs andis constantly in search of new solutions to them.

Sloan U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,407 (1963) describes a single rear bench seat(lines 4–45)—full length (C1–L55), that can slide out of either side ofthe vehicle. It describes a door structure that may be attached to theseat and slide across and through the passenger compartment of thevehicle as the seat slides out. This invention does not state or implyany safety considerations in its structure, moreover such a bench seaton slides, in the event of a lateral collision on the doors will focusthe impact energy on the passengers and these passengers will be theprincipal casualties as the mass of the vehicle slides away littleharmed. This will be the case even in the embodiment described where thedoors are fixed to the seat and slides through the passenger compartmentwith the seat. Moreover, it cannot be used in a front seat even for itslimited functionality with doors fixed to the seat as drivinginstrumentation (steering wheel etc) will not allow a door to slidethrough the compartment. Finally it does not provide any comfortfeatures for passengers over and above a bench seat. Mach U.S. Pat. No.2,753,947 (1956) describes a sliding bench seat for the access of theengine of the vehicle it does not address the issue of safety ofpassengers or access utility. It is expected to perform similarly toSloan in an impact on the doors or around the side profile of thepassengers in the vehicle. Solomon U.S. Pat. No. 2,758,872 (1953)provides a sliding bench seat that goes through the doorway and for thesame reasons as Sloan does not provide protection in side impacts orprovide any comfort features over and above a bench seat. Cyphert U.S.Pat. No. 3,944,277 (1976) describes a seat mounted on a sliding platformthat has a door at the end and protective walls around it. Thearrangement being designed for the utility of the operator to reachpoints away from the body of the vehicle without dismounting thevehicle. This invention like Sloan does not state or imply any safetyconsiderations in its use. Moreover there is no expressed or impliedreference to the utility of mounting and dismounting the vehicle or forthe comfort of the operator or the passengers except for the ability forthe platform to move out to give the operator greater reach away fromthe vehicle body. Rees U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,300 (1993) describes internaldesign structure for slide arrangements that allow forward and backwardmovement of the passenger seats in vehicles. This like many otherinventions prior to it relate to the structure of the slides to adjustthe position of the seats for passenger comfort in the direction ofmotion of the vehicle.

All the above items of background art relate to sliding seats. None ofthe above background art related to sliding seats have stated or impliedsafety considerations. Moreover, none of them provide utility formounting and dismounting a vehicle except for a bench seat that slidesout on either side of the vehicle, or provide comfort features exceptfor seating arrangement on a bench seat and in one of the above—thelateral movement for convenience of the operator.

Maier U.S. Pat. No. 2,148,950 (1939) provides a laterally bracedpassenger compartment that braces a rigid shell body of a vehicle.Barenyi U.S. Pat. No. 2,710,222 (1955) provides a stiffening for thebottom plate of a vehicle body. Catlin U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,428 (1997)provides a design for a rigid shell structure. Guertler U.S. Pat. No.5,464,266 (1995) uses stiffening arrangements for the floor of thevehicle as a component of a rigid shell vehicle body. Masuda U.S. Pat.No. 5,671,968 (1968) describes a strengthened rigid shell for thepassenger compartment Oliver U.S. Pat. No. 4,533,172 (1985) describes athree part rigid shell structure for motor vehicles with the centralsection for passengers Sinnhuber U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,509 (1991)describes an arrangement that transfers impact energy from lateralimpacts to the rigid body of the vehicle but does so through rigidmembers that include elements in the seats. The seats have limitedlateral movement and are not free to move independent of the vehiclebody in the event of a collision, thereby placing the passengers on thedirect path of the energy transfer Maeda U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,604 (1985)describes a lateral brace for the seat arrangement of the vehicle withina rigid vehicle body structure thereby distributing the impact energy toother parts of the rigid body structure. Sacco U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,618(1995) describes a lateral stiffening element that braces the rigidvehicle body in the region of the seats. Bhalsod U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,094(1998) describes a pusher block that engages the seat in the event of alateral impact thereby providing a rigid member between the rigid bodystructure and the seats that can transfer impact energy to the seats.

All of the above items of background art related to bracing a rigid bodystructure and provide stiffening mechanisms within the rigid shellstructure to distribute energy of lateral impact. None of these items ofbackground art provide mechanisms to transfer energy away frompassengers in lateral impacts. or provide other safety arrangements orprovide utility for mounting and dismounting the vehicle or providecomfort features for passengers in the operating position.

Baber U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,265 (1998) presents airbags for front and rearvehicle bumpers that deploy on impact. Such devices cannot beimplemented on the side of the vehicle as a deceleration zone is notavailable under operating conditions as may be made available in thefront and back of the vehicle. Moreover, as this airbag deploys onimpact it creates a deceleration zone by pushing its own vehicle awaythat may actually increase the impulse forces acting on the passengers.Mercier U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,076 (1974) describers similar external frontand back airbags and uses probes that protrude from the vehicle at thefront and back to deploy the airbags. Such apparatus cannot be installedon the sides of the vehicle, as clearances are small. Stirling U.S. Pat.No. 5,131,703 (1992) describes a fluid filled chamber around the vehiclethat will provide a deceleration zone on impact—frontal rear or lateral.However this arrangement requires the deceleration zone to be presentduring normal operating conditions that will reduce the maneuverabilityof vehicles if deployed on the sides of the vehicle. Park U.S. Pat. No.4,995,659 (1991) describes a gas filled chamber deployed around thevehicle. Such a chamber is normally inflated under normal conditions andreduces maneuverability of the vehicle. Campbell U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,777(1989) describes a bumper that can be deployed selectively by fillingwith gas. This bumper is effective when extended only. It is notdesigned to be deployed when the vehicle is in motion, as it will reducemaneuverability. Hartmann U.S. Pat. No. 5,810,427 (1998) describes amechanism that transfers fluid from one airbag to another on impact. Theairbag that is deployed is normally in an extended position to absorbthe impact energy and provide the deceleration zone. However, such anextended airbag will reduce the maneuverability of the vehicle. There isa literature (“Extended Bumper and Glass-Plastic glazing methods toreduce intrusion and ejection in severe motor vehicle crashes”. C. C.Clark 1993. 26th Symposium on Automotive Technology and Automation.Aachen Germany, “Airbag bumpers inflated just before the crash” C. C.Clark, William A. Young. 1994. SAE Technical Paper 941051, “The crashanticipating extended airbag bumper system”. C. C. Clark. 1994.Fourteenth International Technical Conference on the enhanced safety ofvehicles. Munich Germany, “Airbags as a means to reduce crash loads andintrusion, and increase intervehicular compatibility.” C. C. Clark.1995. International Conference on Pelvic and Lower extremityinjuries-Proceedings Washington D.C., “Human Transportation Fatalitiesand Protection against Rear and Side Crash Loads by the AirstopRestraint” Carl Clark and Carl Blechschmidt. 1965. The Ninth Stapp CarConference.) IDS, and background art on the construction of externalairbags including deployment proactively with radar or other devices.This entire literature is limited to the use of proactive externalairbags mounted on vehicles with rigid structures that include thepassenger. There is no reference in this literature to the proactivedetection of impact explicitly or implicitly creating a decelerationzone for passenger protection internally, relative to the vehicle as inthe present invention. Moreover, this literature is focussed on externalairbags for front impact protection with for example rigid penetrationbuffers to negotiate posts and trees, unlike the present invention whichdoes not prescribe external airbags for front impacts. Furthermore, asthis literature describes external airbags without perforation shieldstheir implementability is questionable as, unlike internal airbags thatare in relatively protected environments, impact with external airbagsoften occurs with objects with sharp points and edges that are likely toperforate the external airbags. The Present invention requiresperforation shields for external airbags.

All the above items of background art relate to air bag devices forsafety in vehicles. However, none of these references take theintegrated approach of the present invention, as more fully explainedbelow, which comprises proactive deployment of both internal andexternal air bags, together with sliding seat members and other devices.Moreover while the present invention can function even without thedeployment of external airbags, either proactive or reactive, takentogether these items provide protection for passengers which is morethan the sum of the parts. Furthermore, none of the protection airbagsdisclosed, related to external air bags having protective perforationshields that further enhance their efficacy. Moreover none of thesedevices provide energy transferring mechanisms away from the passengerin a lateral impact or provide other safety features. Moreover they donot provide any utility features for passengers in mounting anddismounting the vehicle or provide comfort features to the passengers.

Perras U.S. Pat. No. 2,873,122 (1959) which describes an invention whereupon a head-on collision the seat projects a curved protector around thepassenger designed to protect the passenger. This curved protectorretracts into the seat under normal operating conditions. It is notclear how effective such a mechanism will be as the acceleration of thepassenger forward relative to the vehicle may precede that of curvedprotector's release from the seat. Satzinger U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,805(1976) describes seat belts for frontal collisions that provide safetyfor vehicles. Such seat belts are in common use. However, they sufferfrom the drawback that they restrain the body of the passenger in thenarrow regions covered by such belts which may cause injury as otherparts of the body are not restrained. Moreover such belts are notpopular, while in common use as the belts are in constant contact withthe body—a factor that is not often relished. Pulling U.S. Pat. No.3,981,520 (1976) describes an arrangement where that provides passengermovement and protection in frontal impacts. On impact the passengermoves in the vertical plane of motion to a more protected position whileside firing airbags provide frontal protection. This system ofdeployment of airbags for frontal collision protection is similar toother frontal airbag systems. They are necessary as restraining systemsduring the collision but need to be retracted in conventional passengercompartments to give passengers access to their seats while mounting anddismounting the vehicle. Erickson U.S. Pat. No. 2,777,531 (1957)describes an invention that rotates the seat of the passenger therebyrestraining and protecting the passenger on impact taking advantage ofthe inertia prior to impact to endow the passenger with rotationalenergy that changes the position of the seat. Such rotation can injurethe passenger with impacts at present day passenger vehicle speeds.

All the above items of background art relate to frontal impactprotection. None of these items provide a device that is normallydeployed during operation, and provides a broad area of restraint acrossthe body for the entire upper body, head and neck, without a need forchanging the orientation of the passenger. Moreover none of these itemsprovide any protection for side impacts or provide utility for mountingand dismounting the vehicle or for the comfort of the passengers in theoperating position.

SUMMARY

In view of these prior references what would be useful is an arrangementthat diverts the impact energy in lateral or side impacts away from thepassengers to the remaining mass of the vehicle thereby protecting thepassengers, and in the same arrangement provides utilitarian access tothe vehicle, such utilitarian access making it possible to both installmulti-element contoured surround seats for passengers and the driver,and also a safety device for head-on collision protection that obviatesthe need for conventional seat belts and front impact airbags. Moreover,it would be useful to have a synergistic structural arrangement for thevehicle that targets strength of the vehicle to protect passengers whileminimizing other massive elements in the vehicle.

The present invention includes these objects and advantages.

OBJECTS & ADVANTAGES

Some of the objects and advantages of the present invention are, toprovide an arrangement that diverts the impact energy in lateral or sideimpacts away from the passengers to the remaining mass of the vehiclethereby protecting the passengers but decelerating the impacting objectwith the remaining mass of the vehicle. Moreover the arrangementsynergistically provides a means for utilitarian easy access to thevehicle for passengers and drivers alike and allows the installation ofmulti-element surround contoured seats for the comfort and protection ofpassengers. This arrangement differs sharply from the Background art inthat it does not simply offer to the impacting body a reinforced rigidshell where the passenger is treated as part of this integral unit, butrather provides selective and differential treatment of the mass of thepassengers and driver of the vehicle vis-à-vis the remaining mass of thevehicle. Furthermore the present invention differs sharply from theBackground art in that the resulting structure synergistically permitsthe installation of contoured multi-element surround seats and a uniquesafety harness that protects passengers in head-on collisions, both ofwhich may not be implementable without the slide or other movingarrangements for seats on either side of the vehicle in the presentinvention.

Another object and Advantage of the present invention is the gravityslide drive and a related shock absorbing arrangement relative to thefixed body members of the vehicle ad the terrain traversed by thevehicle, for my arrangement for which there is no counterpart in theBackground art. This allows further Utility and weight and energy savingin implementing the above elements of the present invention.

Another Object and Advantage of the present invention includes Externalside Airbags that differ sharply from the Background art in that for thefirst time they proactively create a “Just in Time” deceleration zoneboth for the passenger relative to the vehicle and also for the vehiclerelative to the impacting body, for the lateral or side impact while notremaining in an extended position under normal operating conditions ofthe vehicle.

Another Object and advantage of this invention is a perforationresistant shield for external airbag protection that would reduce theprobability of deployment failure. The background art does not providefor this function in externally deploying airbags.

Another object and advantage of the present invention is a indo-skeletalstructure of the vehicle body that permits the energy transfer from thelateral or side impact through compressive members to the body of thevehicle. Unlike the Background art this indo-skeletal structure isdesigned to transfer energy to the body of the vehicle withouttransferring it to the passengers and driver of the vehicle. Thepassengers are targeted for protection with “Safety zones”.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a front elevation of a seating arrangementsin a passenger vehicle. This figure is an illustration of the inventionin the normal vehicle operating condition. The impacting body isrepresented on the left as still distant but advancing towards the abovepassenger vehicle.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the same vehicle arrangement as in FIG. 1,except that the impacting object has advanced towards the passengervehicle adequately to trigger the distance and velocity sensors.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the same vehicle as in FIGS. 1 and 2,except that the distance and velocity sensors have deployed the externalAirbags. They may also provide delayed deployment of the internalAirbags.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of the same vehicle as in FIGS. 1,2 and 3except that the impacting object has made impact with deceleration andenergy absorption provided by the External airbags and the shockabsorbers and resisted by the mass of the vehicle through compressionmembers as noted below. The Passengers and seats are free to move awayfrom the impact on the secondary slides as the internal Airbag deploys,pushing out the Primary slide on the side away from the impact.

FIGS. 1D, 2D, 3D and 4D illustrate an alternative embodiment with theshock absorbers mounted internal to the protector shield.

FIGS. 1C, 2C, 3C and 4C illustrate an alternative embodiment that has anauxiliary beam mounted behind the seat with a high section of thecentral member of the skeletal structure behind the seat to abut theauxiliary beam.

FIGS. 1B, 2B, 3B and 4B illustrate an alternative embodiment with acenter console.

FIGS. 1F, 2F, 3F and 4F illustrate an alternative embodiment with acenter console that is crushable and as a result decreases the need forthe ejection of the passenger on the further side of the vehicle atimpact.

FIGS. 1G, 2G, 3G and 4G illustrate an alternative embodiment with centerairbags that are a part of a passive airbag system to protect passengersduring lateral impact by absorbing some of the impact energy but moreimportantly providing a means to inflate head and neck protectionairbags and other anatomical micro airbags mounted in the vicinity ofthe human body. This particular embodiment has a crushable centerconsole as well.

FIGS. 5 and 6 is an illustration of the seating arrangement as used forloading and unloading passengers and driver. FIG. 5 represents the openposition and FIG. 6 represents the closed position.

FIGS. 5A and 6A illustrate an embodiment of the current invention withthe protector shield/shock absorbers/external airbag hinging down tosupport the primary slide. A useful feature for larger vehicles withmore than a single seat on each side.

FIGS. 7–9 is an illustration of the Gravity slide drive that may beembodied in the invention.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of the Gravity Slide drive at the end of theunload cycle for passengers.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the Gravity slide drive at the beginning ofthe Load cycle for passengers.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of the left side loaded and ready foroperation of the vehicle and the right side at the start of the loadingoperation, emphasizing the independence of the two sides of the Gravityslide drive mechanism.

FIGS. 10A and B are an illustration of Isometric views of the presentinvention on one side of the vehicle for clarity. FIG. 10C is anillustration of a Plan view of the present invention for one side of thevehicle.

FIGS. 10A1, 10B1 are isometric views of an alternative embodiment with avertical extension/“safety cage” to protect passengers further. FIG.10C1 is a plan view of the same arrangement. FIG. 10A2 illustrates thelateral support element, reinforced seat side, multi-element adjustablesupports, reinforcing for safety beam elements, anchor bracing, andpassenger protection detectors.

FIGS. 10E1–E4 show an embodiment of the invention with the passengersupport mechanism being a child or infant support mechanism (CISM). FIG.10E1 shows the normal operating posituion, FIG 10E4 shows the extendedshock absorbers in a front impact.. The CISM will also rotate about thepivot support against damped rotational springs to orient the CISM withthe head of the occupant lower to engage a safety harness, and the backof the occupant moved forward and upwards. FIG. 10E2 shows thearrangement in the access position with the lock on the Inside AirbagEquivalents (not shown) removed, and the CISM support at the end of thesliding arrangement for easy access for loading and securing the CISM.FIG. 10E3 shows the movement of the support element for the CISM as itencounters a side impact on the left hand side, (a mirror image wouldsuffice to represent the impact on the right hand side) with theinertial mass of the CISM in place. FIG 10E5 shows a cross section ofthe Sagety beam lower element and the safety beam upper element which isintegrated with the secondary slide as there is no impact decoupler,with the locking pin that locks the shock absorbing internal airbagequivalents to the safety beam lower elements in the operating position.

FIGS. 10E6–10E21 Illustrate several embodiments of a chld seat orChild/Infant support mechanism.

FIG. 11. is an illustration of the position of the “Safety Zones” thatare targeted for protection with the Protector shields.

FIG. 12. A is an illustration of an isometric view of the Seatarrangement. FIGS. 12B and 12C is an illustration of the Plan and SideElevation of the seat arrangement. FIG. 12A1 illustrates an alternativeembodiment of the seat arrangement. FIGS. 12B1 and 12C1 illustrate theplan and elevation of this embodiment. FIG. 12D1 illustrates anembodiment of the child seat. FIG. 12E1 illustrates an embodiment with adifferent external profile for the seat providing greater protection tothe passenger. FIGS. 12F2 and 12G2 illustrate isometric views of anembodiment of the safety harness and 12H2, 12I2, 12J2 illustrate anisometric view of another embodiment of the safety harness, in thenormal state, with front impact anatomical passive micro air bagdeployed, and the head and neck anatomical micro airbags deployedrespectively. FIG. 12K2 illustrates a harness with a net and frameconstruction. FIG. 13. is an illustration of a drawing of isometric viewof the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates a horizontal cross section of an embodiment of thepresent invention at the level of the upper primary slides.

FIG. 15A illustrates a side impact with internal and external airbagsdeployed and the passengers ejected away from the impact.

FIG. 15B illustrates the deployment of the anatomical passive microairbags in a front impact and the passenger impact protection with theharness and shield. The left side passenger illustrates the normalposition for reference.

FIG. 15C illustrates a detailed view of the safety harness and itscomponents.

FIG. 16A illustrates a passenger ready to leave the vehicle. The safetyharness/shield is still in place.

FIG. 16B shows the passenger in FIG. 16A after releasing the safetyharness/shield from the locks.

FIG. 16D shows the safety harness/shield unlocked from its mounts withinthe vehicle, illustrating the flexibility to move within the vehicleunder these conditions but not having the visibility to drive, therebyensuring that the safety harness/shield is used under drivingconditions.

FIG. 16E illustrates a retractable canopy which may be used when theseat is drawn out.

FIGS. 17A,B show a schematic diagramof the passive air cushionsystemdisclosed in this invention.

FIGS. 18A–J shows different views of the wheel chair arrangementsdeployed as passenger support mechanisms.

FIGS. 19A–E show an embodiment of the customizable contouredmulti-element seat. FIGS. 19F, G show another embodiment of acustomizable multi element seat.

FIGS. 20A–C show an embodiment of the indo skeletal structure thatincludes special arrangements for front impact protection and otherfeatures for passenger convenience and comfort and FIG. 20D shows anembodiment of the connections between the elements in FIGS. 20A–C.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   -   101—Central Member of Indo-skeletal structure    -   102—Safety Beam Lower Element    -   103—Side impact shock absorbers    -   104—External Air Bags    -   105—Perforation Shields    -   106—Protector Shields    -   107—Safety Beam Upper Element    -   108—Auxiliary Beam. (fixed or sliding)    -   109—Multi-element contoured passenger seat    -   110—Vehicle Shell/Body    -   111—Secondary Slides/Impact decouplers    -   112—Locking devices    -   112A-Pivot for Protector shield    -   113—Proactive Velocity/Distance Detectors    -   114—Internal side impact airbag    -   115—Spring device for manual slide    -   116—Inside door open button    -   117—outside door open button    -   118—Beam pivot for Gravity slide drive ejector    -   119—Safety Harness    -   120—Support for Safety Harness    -   121—Bottom of seating surface of the contoured seat    -   122—Contoured arm rests    -   123—Child seat attachment    -   124—Impacting body    -   125—Vertical extensions—Safety Cage (fixed or sliding)    -   126—Center console    -   127—Secondary slide/Center console locks    -   128—Instrumentation    -   129—Center airbags-energy absorption/passive head and neck        anatomical airbag system    -   130—Safety Harness Shield    -   131—Safety Harness—Anatomical passive micro air bag and        visco-elastic buffer    -   132—Safety Harness elbow    -   133—Safety Harness extending upper arm    -   134—Safety Harness Pivoting lower arm    -   135—Safety Harness Head and neck anatomical micro airbags        (active or passive)    -   136—Safety Harness Adjustable Head restraint    -   137—Safety Harness Hinged support    -   138—Safety Harness Locking Support    -   139—Safety Harness passive micro airbag air reservoir    -   140—Adjustable Hinge support on seat    -   141—Foot rest    -   142—Sacrificial chamber    -   143—Micro air-cushion—displacement function    -   144—Micro air cushion—support function    -   145—Valves—air flow/fluid flow    -   146—protected entity    -   147—Fluid paths    -   148—Wheel Chair Conversion—Seat lower cushion and support        structure    -   149—Wheel Chair Conversion—Chair Clamps    -   150—Wheel Chair Conversion—Chair Cross support    -   151—Wheel Chair Conversion—Primary Pivot with locks for Rear        Wheel retraction    -   152—Wheel Chair Conversion—Principal Rear Wheel Support    -   153—Wheel Chair Conversion—Rear Wheel Support strut    -   154—Wheel Chair Conversion—Secondary Pivot for Rear Wheel        retraction    -   155—Wheel Chair Conversion—Spring loaded locking support Sleeve    -   156—Wheel Chair Conversion—Seat back    -   157—Wheel Chair Conversion—Primary Pivot with locks for front        wheel    -   158—Wheel Chair Conversion—Wheel chair back pivot release    -   159—shadow vertibra—air cell retainer    -   160—shadow vertibra—lateral tilt return spring    -   161—shadow vertibra—upper fixed slot fo lateral tilt return        spring    -   162—shadow vertibra—support flange    -   163—shadow vertibra—upper slot for support flange    -   164—shadow vertibra—left body    -   165—shadow vertibra—right body    -   166—shadow vertibra—left upper air cell socket    -   167—shadow vertibra—right upper air cell socket    -   168—shadow vertibra—lateral tilt air cell visco elastic damper        tube    -   169—shadow vertibra—lateral support arm connector    -   170—shadow vertibra——back support adjustable air cushions    -   171—shadow vertibra—left lower air cell socket    -   172—shadow vertibra—right lower air cell socket    -   173 shadow vertibra—lower slot of r support flange    -   174—lower sliding slot for lateral tilt return spring    -   175—shadow rib—body    -   176—shadow rib—adjustable air cushions    -   177—shadow rib—tilt control connectors    -   178—shoulder bolster    -   179—Shoulder bolster adjustable air cushions    -   180—back support adjustable air cushions    -   181—Neck lateral support with deploying passive micro air bag    -   182—Head lateral support arms with deploying passive micro air        bag    -   183—Head rear support adjustable air cushions    -   184—Neck rear support adjustable air/cushions    -   185—Lumbar support adjustable air cushions    -   186—Adjustable Hip bolster    -   187—Adjustable Pelvic support    -   188—Axial contraction system—Central body tube    -   189—Axial contraction system—Body extender tube    -   190—Axial contraction system—front end connector tube    -   191—Axial contraction system—back end connector tube    -   192—Axial contraction system—front end    -   193—Axial contraction system—back end    -   194—Axial contraction system—front module    -   195—Axial contraction system—rear module    -   196—Axial contraction system—front module crank    -   197—Axial contraction system—rear module crank    -   198—passenger support plaform    -   199—Elevator beam    -   200—Propeller    -   201—dual Elevating modules    -   202—aligning wheel shockabsorber arrangement.    -   203—Lower Primary slide support with decoupling key that slots        into central member    -   204—shadow vertibra 2—body    -   205—shadow vertibra 2—slider insert    -   206—Shadow vertibra 2—body: first support surface for length        adjustment spring    -   207—Shadow vertibra 2—body: second support surface for length        adjustment spring    -   208—shadow vertibra 2—body: aperture for tension cord    -   209—Shadow vertibra 2—body: aperture for slider insert    -   210—Shadow vertibra 2—body: slot for adjoining vertibra key    -   211—Shadow vertibra 2—body: vertibra attachment key    -   212—Shadow vertibra 2—body: vertibra attachment pin socket 1    -   213—Shadow vertibra 2—body: vertibra attachment pin socket 2    -   214—Shadow vertibra 2—body: holes to accommodate spring rods    -   215—Child or Infant Support Mechanism support (CISM support)    -   216—Extendable spring/damper loaded attachment for CISM support    -   217—Inner rotator for CISM support    -   218—Outer rotator (including attached impact decoupler/secondary        slide 111)    -   219—reserved    -   220—reserved    -   221-Bottom seat support flange    -   222—Back seat support flange    -   223—Shoulder strap attachement for 3 point belt.    -   224—Child or Infant support mechanism (CISM)    -   225—CISM support pivots    -   226—Lock pin—Internal Airbag equivalents (IAE) with Safety beam        lower element    -   227—Pin slot for lateral impact movement    -   228—Internal Airbag equivalent shock absorber    -   229—Slot for housing Internal Airbag Equivalent shock absorbers    -   230—Pin Hole for registering Lock Pin    -   231—Support Key—secondary slide to outer rotator    -   232—CISM Support Bracket    -   233—Pivotal support for CISM Support Bracket    -   234—Pivot for Internal Airbag equivalent attached to CISM        support bracket    -   235—Fixed Support for safety beam lower elements and internal        airbag equivalents    -   236—support for secondary slides, CISM support bracket and        internal airbag equivalents    -   237—Support flange between Secondary slide and internal airbag        equivalent active ends    -   238—Internal airbag equivalents—dual movable active end at        center    -   239—Internal Airbag Equivalents-dual movable        extremes-expansion/compression.    -   240—Lock pin hole on dual internal airbag equivalent center        support    -   241—Top lock flanges    -   242—Side lock flanges    -   243—Front lock flanges    -   244—Side support flange    -   245—Lateral Brace    -   P101—Compressible Laterally Slidable (when detached) Hip Bolster    -   P102—Seat Bottom Contoured    -   P103—Impact Decoupler Secondary Slide Elements    -   P104—Retraction Slots for secondary slide support rails (rails        not shown)    -   P105—Retraction slots for Secondary slides, retracted at Egress        and Ingress    -   P106—Front sid of rear seat    -   P107—Back of seat bottom    -   P108—Side bolsters in retracted position for egress and ingress    -   P109—Crushed side bolstersduring impact (does not intrude into        hip space)    -   P110—Side Bolster Air Bags    -   P111—Shoulder bolster/support—operating position and width    -   P112—Back rest    -   P113—Head Rest    -   P114—Head and Neck air bags (head rest is fixed to backrest so        that it moves with back rest on lateral impact)    -   P115—Body Air Bags to hold and move the body on lateral impact.        The airbags are shaped to push the arms out of the way at        deployment time.    -   P116—Crushed shoulder bolster/support (controlled crush)    -   P117—Back Rest        -   501—Safety zone        -   502—lateral support element        -   503—reinforced seat side        -   504—left support adjustable multi-element        -   505—right support adjustable multi-element        -   506—back support adjustable multi-element        -   507—bottom support adjustable multi-element        -   510—Reinforcing—Safety beam upper element        -   511—Reinforcing—Safety Beam Lower Element        -   512—Anchor Bracing Bracket        -   513—Passenger Protection Detectors        -   514—Net Strature for Harness        -   515—Frame for Net Structure for Harness        -   516—Retractable canopy

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

The present invention provides a passenger vehicle a structure thatsynergistically incorporates two functions. First, during lateral orside impacts, a means to decouple from impact, and protect passengerswhile projecting the remaining mass of the vehicle to decelerate theimpacting body, and second, utility to passengers and drivers, inmounting and dismounting the vehicle with the comfort of contouredsurround seats. The arrangement may in some embodiments use anindo-skeletal beam that allows such embodiments to rely on compressiveforce transmission to transfer impact energy to the mass of the vehiclerather than shear loads that are required in the shell paradigm ofconstruction in most current passenger vehicles.

The present invention may use Primary and Secondary slides on each sideof the vehicle, to meet these objectives. The Primary slide has amongother attached devices, a protector shield that bears the impact forcein lateral or side impacts. Such protector shields may be hinged out foraccess if the sliding arrangement is not used. The Primary Slide mayengage a central indo-skeletal beam in some embodiments. The Secondaryslide is attached among other devices to possibly contoured surroundseats. This slide may be activated under impact to guide passengers intheir seats away from the impact zone.

The present invention may utilize a Safety Beam in the vicinity of theseats. However, there is an important advance over the Background art inthat the Beam does not lock the passengers on the path of the energytransfer, but rather, conducts the energy of impact away from thepassenger to the indo-skeletal frame or to the body members of the shell(collectively elements of the fixed body members) and thereby to themass of the vehicle allowing independent motion of the passengers awayfrom the impact.

The present invention may use proactively fired external airbags whichfor the first time provide a means to create a “Just in Time”deceleration zone on the side of a vehicle prior to impact but notdeployed under normal operating conditions of the vehicle. Notably,Background art for external airbags that are either extended undernormal operating conditions of the vehicle or require reactivedeployment cannot function effectively, as the former will impede themaneuverability of the vehicle and the latter will not be able to createa deceleration zone in time for the impact.

Overall this invention provides a “bottom up” paradigm for the design ofvehicles starting with the human environment and building outwards tothe vehicle—in stark contrast to the conventional approach of designthat starts with the vehicle and inserts within these constraints, thepassenger environment. Moreover, this invention embodies a two levelsafety system. The first or the primary level is passive and has anegligible probability of failure. The second level is active andpredictive or proactive, utilizing advanced technologies. However,complex advanced technology systems have the drawback of higherprobabilities of failure. Therefore while the second level can reducethe level of injury in serious crashes, there is a non trivialproability of failure of this secondary system Therefore it is necessaryto build a primary system that is good inough in most cases to reduceinjury levels in severe crashes. The paper in the Appendix includessimulation results for an embodiment of the primary system alone with afailure of the secondary system.

The following descriptions are for embodiments of the present invention.Deviations from this description in an embodiment is possible withoutdeviating from the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The following is a detailed description of some of the components ofthis embodiment. The seating arrangement of a passenger vehicle is shownin FIG. 1. The cross section of the central member of the indo-skeletalstructure (101) is fixed to the safety beam (102′) and the lower primaryslide (102). The Protector Shields 11 (106) is firmly attached to theUpper Primary slide (107), which slides on the lower Primary slide(102). (The terms upper and lower being used for the slides todistinguish them and not representing a relative elevation of theslides). The construction of such protector shields would follow that ofany impact resisting body panel member of a vehicle, with the usualweight strength tradeoffs. Such construction is well disclosed in thebackground art. The sliding arrangement may use single element ormultiple element direct contact low friction surfaces sliding on oneanother, roller bearings, ball bearing structures—all of which are welldisclosed in the background art. The Protector Shield (106) are designedto cover the required “safety zone” as noted on FIG. 11. The UpperPrimary Slide (107) locks into the Central member of the indo-skeletalstructure (101) in the operating position with locking devices (112).Such locking devices do not take any additional loads on impact, and mayas a result follow the extensive background art for locking devices forexample similar mechanisms to those used in automobile door locks. Theselocks may be activated by the ignition key switch for additional safetywhile the vehicle is operational. The Protector Shield (106) hasattached on the outside a shock absorber (103), which may includeexternal airbags (104). The construction of such shock absorbers followthe background art. Such external airbag (104) are protected from sharpobjects on impact by a Perforation Shield (105). These perforationshields protect the external airbag (and the passenger) from sharpobjects. The construction of such perforation resisting shields are welldisclosed in the background art. Such Perforation shields may beattached by conventional means to the outer surface of the airbag andretained in the normal operating position using techniques used forairbags both internal and external disclosed in the background art. TheAir Bag (104) is deployed with distance and velocity sensors (113)mounted on the Perforation shields (105). Distance and velocity sensorsare used in other applications and their construction is well disclosedin the background art. The Upper Primary Slide (107), supports thesecondary slide/Impact decouplers (111). In this embodiment this isfirmly attached to the Upper Primary Slide until the impact when it isdecoupled to slide away from the impact. The Secondary slide arrangementmay use a friction based approach, or other approach, all of which arewell disclosed in the background art. This embodiment has contouredsurround Passenger Seats (109) that are mounted on the Secondary slides(111). These seats have internal Airbags (114) that deploy on impact andmay “unfurl” upwards to protect the head or upper body as well. Theconstruction of seat adjustment mechanisms are well disclosed in thebackground art. This Figure shows the impacting object on the leftapproaching the vehicle, but too distant to trigger any action.

In FIG. 2, the impacting object has moved to a position that can nowtrigger the distance and velocity sensors (113). These sensors triggerthe deployment of the External Airbags (104), and the shock absorbers(103). The internal airbags (114) may be triggered by conventional meansdisclosed in the prior art, explicitly or implicitly reacting toproactive or reactive impact detection. The internal air bags aredesigned to move the passengers and the passenger seates to the extentnecessary through a Motion Space to a Safe Position on primary mpactdetection, and thereafter protect the protected entity—the passenger andthe seat. Thereafter as illustrated in FIG. 3, the External Airbags(104) and shock absorbers (103) deploy to provide the requireddeceleration zone for the impact. As a result on impact the energy ofimpact is partially absorbed by the External Air bag (104) and the ShockAbsorber 11 (103) and the remaining energy transferred to the massivecomponents of the vehicle through the Protector Shield (106), the Upperand Lower Primary Slide/Safety Beam (107, 102, 102′) to the Centralelement of the Indo-skeletal frame (101) and the body of the vehicle.Notably, the Secondary slides (111) decouple and slide the passengerseats (109) with the passengers away outside the path of the impactforces and protected by the internal Airbag (114). The Upper PrimarySlide (107) on the side of the vehicle away from the impact is free toslide out with all devices mounted on it to provide a path for thesecondary slide (111) and the seats (109). In this situation it may beseen that the Upper Primary slide works as an impact-resisting beam onthe side of the impact and a release and support mechanism on the sideaway from the impact. FIG. 15A illustrates the side impact with thedeployed internal and external airbags, and the displaced passengersaway from the impact in the vehicle sustaining the lateral impact. FIG.15B illustrates the frontal impact support for the passenger on theright hand side. The Left hand passenger is shown in the normal positionfor comparison.

FIG. 14 illustrates a horizontal cross section of the embodiment at theheight of the upper primary slides (107). The central member of theindo-skeletal structure (101) is flanked by the upper primary slides(107) abutting the central member, with the protector shields (106) andthe shock absorbers that include the external airbags (103,104) at theouter end of the upper primary slides. The perforation shields are shownat the outer extreme of the shock aborbers and airbags. In thisembodiment there are two sets of upper primary slides on each side ofthe vehicle that can support two rows of seats (front and rear) one oneach side with its own protection with the protection shields and shockabsorbing devices.

An auxiliary slide beam structure (108) (as illustrated in FIGS. 10A,10B and 10C) may be attached to the central member of the Indo-skeletalbeam (101) and locked into the protector shield when the vehicle isready for operation, or be attached to the protector shield and slideout with the Upper Primary Slide (7), and get locked to the centralmember of the Indo-skeletal structure (1) in the operating position.

Means for access for passengers in this embodiment as illustrated inFIGS. 5, 6, 10A, 10B and 10C. The seat (109) and secondary slide (111),slide out on the upper Primary Slide (107) to a position that lets theseat (109) protrude from the vehicle such that the passenger may simplystand in front of the seat and sit down on the seat (109). Thereafterthe seat (109) is retracted on the Primary slide to the position asdepicted in FIG. 6, where the Upper Primary slide (107) is locked withthe locking devices (112) in position for operation of the vehicle. Theslide drive mechanism may be powered using approaches well disclosed inthe background art such as servos, and pneumatic or hydraulic systems.The vehicle while in operation should have the Upper Primary Slide (107)retracted and locked. The ignition lock is used in this embodiment toensure this practice.

While extended, the clearance on the side of the vehicle for the EasyEjector will usually be in the range of about 20 inches to 30 inches.This could be substantially less than the clearance required for openinga conventional car door. This is particularly useful for parking inareas with limited clearance.

FIGS. 12A, 12B and 12C illustrates the detail of the seat (109). Theseat (109) may be constructed with customizable multi-elements thatconform to the desired shape and provide the desired support for thepassenger. Such adjustments may be effected using conventional seatcontrol devices. In this figure the Safety Harness (119) is secured tothe sides of the contoured seat (109) between the arm rests (122). Thesafety harness (119) may be designed to protect the passenger in head-oncollisions by providing a soft barrier in close proximity to the bodybut not necessarily touching the body. This arrangement may be preferredto seat belts that do not provide the extended surface area that theharness (119) provides and as result provides greater impact resistancefor the same level of limiting forces that the body can withstand.Moreover, this arrangement may obviate the need for a front collisionairbag as the harness (119) may be high enough to support the face andneck under collision conditions. The harness may be constructed ofpliable but semi-rigid material (such as high strength nylon) to providesupport in a head on collision. A natural benefit of the arrangement ofthe harness (119) and its supports (120) is that lateral forces on theseat are also braced by the harness support (120) in the operatingposition. FIGS. 12F2 and 12G2 illustrate an embodiment of the harness.Moreover the seat (109) may be constructed with reinforcing on the sidesto further protect the passenger from crush injuries. The Seatingsurface (121) is illustrated in the same figure as are the arm rests(122). In conventional vehicle seat designs the door surface providesthe only support on the external side surface which are usually limitedto arm rests. This seat (109) provides surround support for thepassenger particularly desirable on winding roads. The “Custom contouredseats” customized for each passenger may be created with a multi-elementadjustable structure (manually with inserts or with computer controlledelements) that provide ergonomic passenger comfort providing wheredesired, lateral support in addition to the support that conventionalseats provide, to cradle the entire lower body in the ejector seat.Similarly child seats (123) as in FIG. 12D1, may be designed to protectchildren. Such seats can be inserted into the seat (109). The Safetyharness may also have an attachment for providing greater support forinfants and small children.

ADDITIONAL EMBODIMENTS

While the above embodiment uses a power slide drive, this embodimentdiffers in that a gravity slide drive is employed to move the slides formounting the vehicle. FIGS. 7,8 and 9 describe this arrangement. Thisembodiment differs in the preferred embodiment above in that the LowerPrimary slide/safety Beam (102, 102′) are pivoted at the Central memberof the indo-skeletal structure with pivots (118). As shown in FIG. 7,this allows the lower slide to fall to a lower of two positions, thatinclines the upper surface of the Lower Primary slide (102) adequatelyto allow the upper Primary slide (107) to slide outwards to the loadingposition assisted by the weight of a passenger in the seat and theadditional assistance of the Spring arrangement (115). The passenger maydismount from the vehicle when the slide is fully extended as shown inFIG. 7. Each side of the vehicle has independent slides and may beoperated by passengers independently.

When the passenger dismounts from the seat the Upper Primary slide (107)in its extended position moves to the higher of two positions about thePivot (118) as illustrated in FIG. 8. This move inclines the Uppersurface of the Lower Primary slide adequately to allow the weight of apassenger to work against the spring arrangement (115) and move theslide to the operating position. This move up of the Lower Primary Slide(107) may be effected by mechanisms well disclosed in the backgroundart. The Slide as depicted in FIG. 8, is now ready for a new Passengersto mount. When the passenger sits on the seat (109), the weight of thepassenger works against the spring mechanism (115) to move the slide tothe operating position as depicted on the left hand side of the FIG. 9and lock the slide in the operating position. The Upper Primary Slidemay be unlocked by the passenger by depressing the Inside Door OpenButton (116). Activating this button in addition allows the lowerprimary slide (102) to move and be locked to the loading inclination—thelower of two positions, and the Upper Primary Slide (107) is free toslide out with the passenger. At this point the arrangement hascompleted a full cycle and is in the position depicted in FIG. 7.

The above cycle represents operation of the Gravity Slide Drive whenthere is a passenger in the seat (109) when the Slide moves to and fromthe operating position as on the left of FIG. 9. When a passengerdismounts however, and the Slide arrangement needs to be retractedwithout a passenger in the seat, the weight of the passenger is nolonger available for aiding the motion of the slide to the operatingposition, and the slide must be pushed in against the action of theSpring Arrangement (115) and locked in place at the operating position.When a new Passenger wishes to mount the vehicle, he/she will press theOutside Door Open Button (117) which releases the catch that holds theUpper Primary Slide beam in place but does not affect the movement ofthe Lower Primary Slide (102) about its pivot (118). The seat as aresult slides out on the Upper Primary Slide assisted by the Springarrangement (115) to the position for mounting the vehicle as depictedin FIG. 7. The spring arrangement (115) is designed to be such that itprovides a force just adequate to move the Upper Primary Slide out withno passenger in the seat.

Some alternative embodiments may have multiple positions for theinclinations of the safety beams from the center of the vehicle, in theloading position to accommodate the varying road inclinations that maymake a single inclination of the safety beam in the loading positioninadequate. In such an embodiment the operator will have the facility toswitch to the best loading inclination dependant on the inclination ofthe road. This will overcome some of the disadvantages of regular cardoors on steep hills. Moreover, this arrangement can also function as ashock absorbing device for the comfort of the passengers in vehiclesunder operating conditions. A possible embodiment to achieve this canhave a range of angular inclinations for the operating position, therange being set so that the transfer of the compressive load on impactthrough to the fixed body members of the vehicle or the central beam isachieved. The Safety beams are spring or shock absorber mounted in avertical plane relative to the central beam and the fixed body membersof the vehicle. When a bump in the road is encountered the safety beamspivot on the center and swing higher at the center thereby isolating thepassenger from the road.

Some embodiments of the multi-element contoured seats may have astructure that provides anatomically accurate support for the body asillustrated in FIGS. 19A,B,C,D and E. This seat architecture may be usedin a wide variety of applications outside vehicles as well. Conventionalcar seats are a set of two or possibly three rigid structures—the seatbottom, the back and the head rest. These have some mobility forcomfort. However there are two factors that militate against theircomfort and the level of protective support they can provide incollision situations. First, one size must fit all pawssengers anddrivers. The mobility provided for the seat bottom, seat back and headrest provide limited flexibility for passengers of different sizes.Second, there is little lateral support for the body that could be vitalin a side collision, and third, in a vehicle in motion on a roughsurface, the shock absorbtion provided to all parts of the upper body isthe same—the seat back is rigid onece set up by the passenger—thisstands in contrast with the internal shock absorbtion of the human body,where the spine provides differential shock absorbtion to differentparts of the body, increasing the shock absorbtion towards the head.This last factor implies that conventional seat backs cannot removevibrations from both the top and the bottom of the upper body as thebody's own shock absorbtion system will move differentially to the seatback along the length of the spine. The embodiments of this inventionillustrated in FIG. 19, improve these characteristics of seats.

FIGS. 19A and B show two view of a shadow vertibra of the seat. Thedesign of this vertibra is to provide auxiliary support for the body.The structure shown is one of several possible structures forembodiments of this invention. The body of the vertibra in thisembodiment is split into a left body (164) and a right body (165) theseelements are permanently bonded or fixed tgether by bolts. The body hastwo cavities on each of the top and the bottom surface—the air cellsockets. These hold two air cells on the left and the right side. Theseair cells are supported on the sides by the air cell retainers (159)that slide in and out of the air cell sockets (166, 167, 171, 172). Theair cells them selves are made of a pliable and inflatable material, oralternatively a material that can fold within the cell supports. Eachpair of air cells are separately inflatable by a multi channel air pumpthat is installed in the seat embodiment. There is a connecting tubebetween the left and the right air cells housed in the lateral tilt aircell visco-eleastic damper tube. This tube allows limited air flowbetween the left and the right chambers to permit lateral tilting of thevertebrae relative to each other. This motion hover is corrected by thelateral tilt return spring (160) that ensures that in the normalposition the vertebrae arealigned vertically. This lateral tilt returnspring is fixed on one end to a vertibra in the upper fixed slot forlateral tilt return spring (161) and can slide within the next vertibrain the lower sliding slot for lateral tilt return spring (174).Orthogonal support is provided between the vertebrae with the supportflange (162) that is fixed at one end in the lower slot for the supportflange (173) and is slidably mounted in the adjoining vertibra's upperslot for support flange (163). The flnge is sized to allow limitedlateral tilting as the vertibra tilts laterally, but provides firm backsupport. Notably the upper and lower slots for the support flange may beinclined slightly so as to take the form of the human spine. The bodycontact is made on the back with the back support adjustable aircushions (170), which in most embodiments are contoured to the shape ofthe bode and is illustrated as an ellipsoid for clarity. These aircushions are inflatable and the pressure may be adjusted to the comfortof the passenger. There may be a spring loaded cable that is threadedthrough the vertebrae to tie them together. The spring loading will workagainst the air cell pressure as the gets elongated with higher air cellpressure. Ideally there can be as many of the shadow vertebrae asvertebrae in the human body although some embodiments may choose someeconomy in the number of such shadow vertebrae. FIG. 19C illustrates twoadjoining shadow vertebrae. One of these are for supporting the thoraxregion and therefore have attached the shadow rib body (175) and therelated shadow rib adjustable air cushions (176) (shown as ellipsoidsfor clarity but in most embodiments will be contoured to take the shapeof the body. These air cushions are inflatable for passenger comfort.The air supply being led to the cushions along the rib body and down theshadow spine to the multiple channel control air pump which alsosupplies air pressure of each of the many air cushions and air cells inthe seat embodiment. The shadow ribs are supported by the tilt controlconnectors (177) that may adjust the angle of the shadow ribs. FIGS. 19Dand E illustrate one possible version of this embodiment. Here theshadow vertebrae are stacked up to provide support for the head the neckthe shoulders, the thorax and the lumbar region. The head rear supportadjustable air cushions (183) provide forward support for the head whilethe Head lateral support arms with deploying passive air bag (182)provides lateral support particularly during side collisions withdeploying passive micro airbags. Similarly the neckhas rear support fromneck rear support adjustable air cushions (184) and lateral support fromNeck lateral support with deploying passive micro air bag (181). Theshoulders are supported by the shoulder bolster (178) and the shoulderbolster adjustable cushions (179). The shoulder bolster being pivotallyattached to a vertibra of the shadow spine and allowed limited pivotalmotion vertically to allow the passenger to move his/her upper armsupwards at norma speed. However, the shoulder bolster will resist rapidmotion of the upper arms and shoulders as in a collision therebysupporting the passenger. This differential movement characteristics canbe achieved by approaches well disclosed in the background includingviscous loading of the coupling. Lumbar support is provided by theLumbar support adjustable air cushions (185). The entire array of theshadow vertebrae may be elongated and contracted by changing thepressure in the air cells thereby provding the optimal sizing for allheights of passengers. The lateral support and back support cushions maybe inflated to provide width control and support for passengers ofdifferent shapes. Adjustable hip bolsters provide lateral and forwardsupport while the adjustable pelvic support (187) provides vertivalsupport for the passenger. The illustrations exclude the leg and armsupports that are part of the embodiment for sake of clarity. Springsupports can substitute for the air cells in the vertebrae but will nothave the advantage of viscous lateral resistance and independent heightcontrol. Overall height can however be controlled with the cablethreaded through the vertebrae. Motion control of the seat elements canbe achieved with devices well disclosed in the background art includingservos, and pneumatic and hydraulic systems.

Considering the complexity of the seat systems including the multichannel inflators for each of the air cells and the air cushions alongwith the mechanical controls for inclining the shadow ribs and thepelvic and hip supports, it would normally be necessary to use a closedloop feedback with computer control. Pressure sensing of each air filleddevice will provide feedback on the resistant force o the human body andtherefore firmness of the support. This information can be used toprovide the firmness control desired by the passenger. One computercontrolled scheme could be where the passenger inputs gender weight, andheight and the computer alters the size of the seat by inflating anddeflating aircells and cushions accordingly and the provides severalalternative configurations that the customer can select. The customercan then customize firmness and variations on the seat presets.

Finally the shoulder bolsters and shadow ribs may have deploying microaircusions that hold the passenger in the event of a collision.

Yet another computer control scheme for the seats has a “learn” mode anda “save” mode for the computer control. When the computer control is setto the learn mode the feedback system observations are used to learn theuser's preferred positions. Thereafter when in the save mode the seat isset to this position. As an additional enhancement the seat control canbe voice activated to allow the user to “tell” the seat to be either inthe learn or save modes.

Another embodiment of the multi element contoured seat that providesanatomically accurate support for the body comprises a shadow spine thatis made up in part by an array of interlocking vertibra bodies as in 204that are each connected to body support members that may be shadow ribsor other support members for the human body as described herein. Thesize of each vertibra may be scaled to accommodate the forceconsiderations envountered by the vertibra during crash conditions.Therefore many embodiments will have larger vertibra at the lower end ofthe shadow spine and smaller vertibra at the top of the sipne. Each ofthe interlocking vertibra bodies have a slider insert 205 that has ahole to accommodate the vertibra attachment pin. The slider moves withinthe housing on the vertibra body to allow extension and contraction inthe effective length of each vertibra. The movement in the position ofthe hole is accommodated by the slot in the vertibra body. Adjoiningvertibra are joined by a pin that is fitten into the vertibra attachmentpin socket-1 in the slider insert 213 and the vertibra attachment pinsocket-2 212 on the adjoining vertibra. On assembly of the string ofsuch vertibra there will be limited pivotal movement possible laterallyas the pin holes 212 rotate relative to the pin holes 213. Such movementmay be limited with the shape of the vertibra attachment key 211 and theslot for adjoining vertibra key 210. And further controlled by springsto described below. Each of the vertebrae in the shadow spine may havean angled pin hole 212 along with orthogonal surfaces of the key 211 sothat the position of each of the vertebrae reflect the requied curvatureof the shadow spine to accommodate the passenger spine curvature.Notably the arrangements for contraction and extension of the chain ofvertebrae will allow for different sized passengers. The vertibra at thebottom of the string is connected to the lower part of the seat with aslot arrangement that fits the key on the vertibra or alternatively ifthe vertibra are oriented to have their keys above their slots, thelower seat will have a key to accommodate the slot on the lowestvertibra. The vertibae may extend to support the head and neck. Thenumber and length of vertebrae will depend on the balance between thelarger cost of a large number of vertebrae and the value in accuaratesupport with a shadow vertibra for each vertibra of the passenger andone for the head of the passenger. The shadow spine also comprises twochords of high tensile strength possibly of stranded steel, that arerigidly connected to the aperture for tension chord 208 of the topvertibra, and are each threaded through the apertures for tension chords208, one on each side of the vertebrae along the length of the shadowspine. Springs are interspersed between the vertibrea to surround eachof the chords one on each side of each vertibra, to separate thevertebrae when there is no tension in the chord and to extend the shadowspine by forcing the slider insert 205 to slide outwards to the extentpossible. The two tension chords are threaded through holes in amounting members of the shadow spine located near the lower seat, andattached to a mechanism that can loosen and tighten each of the twochords concurrently by the same amount, thereby forcing each of thesprings to compress and allow a contraction of each of the vertebrae ofthe shadow spine. This arrangement allows adjustment of the seat back tothe size of height of the passenger or operator. The characteristics ofeach of the pairs of springs on each of the vertebrae can be adjusted tocompress by different amounts, the vertebrae at different levels of theshadow spine to reflect the relative variations in size of differentvertebrae of tall and short people. In the event of a side collision,one of the tension chords will remain in tension while the other mayslacken by cmpressing further the springs on its side caused by thelateral force allowing limited lateral movement and bending of theshadow spine, thereby limiting the peak accelerations that areencountered by the upper body head and neck. The entire shadow spineassembly will have some controlled flexibility by design for forward andbackward movement for protection of the passenger in a rear or frontcollision. There will also be attachment points for seat belts or safetyshields on one or more of the vertebrae.

A further refinement of this embodiment of the shadow spine in themulti-element contoured seat as in FIG. 19H, has additional apertures214 on each side of each vertibra, to accommodate a spring rod on eachside of the shadow spine. The spring rod will be threaded through theaperture 214 in FIG. 19H and each attached at only one end either at thetop or the bottom. The sizing and surface treatment of the aperture 214will allow some lateral bending of the spring rod, and allow sliding ofthe spring rod. On lateral impact the spring rods will resist lateralmovement and supplement the force of the springs in compression aroundthe tension chord. Moreover, in rear impact and front impact collisionsthey will supplement forward and backward bending of the shadow spineand as a result the upper body of the passenger or operator. Notably thecross section of the rods may be adjusted in the lateral directionrelative to the forward-backward direction to modify the relativeresistive force that it applies in lateral impacts versus forward andback impact.

Yet another variation of this embodiment discharges the air in theadjustable air cushions when passengers leave the seats, and thenreinflate these aircushions when the new passenger sits down with airthat is preheated or precooled to the preferred temperature of thepassenger. Thereafter the air cushions will provide insulation at thattemperature for the seating surface.

Yet another embodiment of the multi element seat has a back andhead/neck support that is supported by concentric tubes that fit withineach other and can slide within each other. The longest and narrowest ofthese tubes supports the head rest. The tube next in length and wider,supports the neck rest, the tube next in length and still wider supportsthe thorax (there may also be a tube that supports the shoulders at thispostion between the neck and the thorax). The next length of tubesupports the lower back and the lumbar region. Each of these tubes maybe independently raised or lowered to meet the user's preference andanatomy. Moreover the support for each region whether it be head, neck,shoulders, thorax or lumbar regions, may be widened or narrowed witheach of these sections. While the background art provides many possibleapproaches for raising and lowering the sections and the wideining andnarrowing of the sections defined above in this embodiment, a simpleembodiment has all the control devices at the bottom of the tubes. Theraising and lowering of each tube can use electric servos or pneumaticor gas lift mechanisms attached to the concentric sections that aredesigned such that the narrower tubes protrude below the wider tubes foraccess for support and control by the said lift mechanisms. The width ofeach of the sections may be controlled with air cells that areinflatable to the passenger's preference. This embodiment withconcentric tubes may allow some limited flexing and therefore lateralmovement of the body under lateral impact conditions thereby reducingpeak accelerations of the head neck and thorax regions of the body. Thecross sections of the tubes that support the sections may be circular insome embodiments to allow the user the ability to twist for example toreach a child in the back seat, this embodiment however has a viscousdamper or rachet arrangement with a centrifugal governor that preventsrapid twisting motion as under side collision forces. Such viscousdampers or centrifugal rachets may be attached to each of the concentrictubes that allow twisting motion. Such viscous dampers with radial vanesand rachet arrangements with centrifugal governors are well disclosed inthe background art. Other embodiments that prevent twisting motion mayhave rectangular or other irregular cross sections.

Yet another embodiment uses a second rotating mechanism or turn tablefor the seat about a vertical axis mounted at the point of attachment ofthe seat to the flexed elements of the vehicle when in the normaloperating position, that allows the user discretion to position and lockthe seat at an angle to the direction of motion of the vehicle. This issometimes desired by drivers. The computer control system for the seatscan have a learn position that learns the angular position that isdesired by the user and then sets it in the save position. The usercommands can be verbal with voice recognition.

Yet another embodiment has a head and neck support in a multi elementadjustable seat (where the head and neck support is constructed to belight but strong), in addition to having vertical movements is pivotedalong a horizontal lateral axis and is designed with spring controls tomove forward and touch the head and neck without pushing the head andneck with uncomfortable forces. Radial or linear viscous dampers areattached about the horizontal axis of the head and neck support thatprevents rapid movement of the head and neck in a rear end collision.The viscous dampers are well disclosed in the background art.

Embodiments, particularly those that utilize the indo-skeletal structuremay include the following additional embodiments and variations thereoffor frontal and rear impact protection and passenger comfort andconvenience. The additional structure is illustrated in FIGS. 20A,B andC. The passenger support platform (198) represents the set of machineryfor that purpose. It will take the shape needed to support the varietyof structures that are described in this invention. It is supportedeither in the middle or on the edges by the Central body tubes (188).The first tube that fits into the central body tube is the Body extendertube (189) This optional tube is slidably connected to the central bodytube and may be moved in and out by servo motors or pneumatic/hydraulicpistons and cylinders. However the inner tube is axially supported by acompression resistant shock absorber which in turn is mounted rigidlywith regard to the outer central body tube in all poitions that the bodyextender tube can take. The Body extender tube has functions thatinclude extending the wheel base of the vehicle under computer controlparticularly in drive by wire vehicles, thereby improving the comfort ofthe vehicle and second increasing the wheel base contingent on vehiclespeed such that in the event of a collision there is a longerdeceleration space. The shock absorber will become longer and andshorter to accomodate this need and can for example be air shockabsorbers. The correlation of speed and length will normally be computercontrolled to provide statistically appropriate deceleration distancesfor the speed of the vehicle at any time. Notably the steeringarrangements and other vehicle systems may also need to be compensatedto accommodate the change in wheel base to ensure driver convenience andprecise control of the vehicle. The Front end connector tube (190) has ashock absorber in series with a servo or pneumatic/hydraulic controlledactuator for axial movement in and out of the body extender tube (189)as does the back end connector tube ((191). 190 and 191 are connected tothe front and back ends respectively which include the front and backwheels. and bumper arrangements. The front module—which may be theengine or hybrid unit is pivoted on brackets at the front end of thefront end connector tube, thereby allowing the module to rotate upwardsabout this pivot. Notably the module will be signifivcantly massive andwill require strong supports and pivots. The front module crank ispivotally attached to the body extender tube and also pivotally attachedto the front module as shown in FIG. 20A. Therefore if there is amovement of the front end towards the body extender tube the frontmodule crank would swing the front module about its pivot in the fronttowards the vertical direction.

There are at least two functions for this motion. First in the event ofa front collision the force will compress the shock absorbers on the endof the front end connector tube and thereby force the crank to pivot upthe front module. This angular acceleration of the massive front modulewill absorb energy of the impact and acting as a “fly wheel”, removeacceleration spikes that the passenger would otherwise sustain and inaddition due to its vertical acceleration increase the traction on thefront wheels thereby increasing the braking friction resistance that canbe offered. Finally in the event of a collision the inclining frontmodule will divert the impacting vehicle over the passenger space. Thisaction is illustrated in FIG. 20C. Second, particulary for drive by wirevehicles, the front and back end connector tubes may be retracted byservo or pneumatic/hydraulic rrangements, to pivot up the front and backmodules thereby reducing the vehicle length substantially and providingbetter curb visibility to the driver particularly while paaking. This isillustrated in FIG. 20B. Notably the wheels are maintained in the sameorientation to the road surface and may be steered as desired with thesame mechanisms. For conventional vehicle architectures the pivot of thefront module and engine with the front end connector tube should be nearthe wheel axis to facilitate this additional feature.

The same value is derived in the rear structure as the front structurefor rear collisions and in front collisions and in parking. Thearguments are similar.

Another embodiment may have a single but broad set of central body tubebody extender tube and the back/front end connector tubes with a splitfront or back module and connection of the front/back connector tubewith the front/back ends respectively in the middle. Yet anotherconfiguration may have a single central body tube and body extender tubebut then have a “T” shaped structure on the back or the front to haveseperate left and right front and/or back end connector tubes connectedwith the front end at either side. In the event the body extender tubein not used the connection of the front/back module cranks will be tothe central body tubes.

For embodiments that use an exoskeletal or shell design, an additionalembodiment deploys airbags in the space surrounding the enginecomponents to change the characteristics of the crumple zone. Moreoverin addition some of these embodiments have the passenger cabin slidablyand detachably connected to the rest of the vehicle and mounted behindthese deploying airbags such that on impact, the cabin detaches from thevehicle and slides backwards in a controlled fashion to ensure theintegrity of the cabin.

Yet another additional embodiment has a rear seat that has a uniquebench configuration with sections that maintain their integrity andwidth in a side collision and other sections that collapse or compressin predefined controlled ways, to absorb the impact accelleration thatwould otherwise be transmitted to the passengers. The present inventionand in particular embodiments of the rear seat are not limited to thesefigures. There are many embodiments that differ from these figures.

The hip bolster P101 that is compressible to a pre defined width P109and providing a predefined resistive force to compression, in the eventof a lateral force being applied to the hip bolster in a side impact,and designed to compress to a minimum width that still protects the hipof the passengers, is mounted adjacent to and on either side of thecontoured seat bottoms P102 which are designed not to compresssubstantially in the event of lateral compressive forces being appliedto it in the event of a side impact. The shapes and widths of theuncompressed hip bolsters may vary depending on whether the hip bolsteris at the end of a seat or in between the seat bottoms P102.

The collinear mounting of the hip bolsters and seat bottoms along alateral axis is in some embodiments achieved with impactdecoupler/secondary slides P103 that connect the hip bolsters and theseat bottoms to the fixed elements of the vehicle. These impactdecouplers are under normal operating conditions, fixedly attached toeach of the seat bottoms and each of the hip bolsters and under apredefined lateral force decouple the seat bottoms and hip bolsters toslide along a lateral axis relative to the fixed elements of thevehicle. The impact decoupler/secondary slides are mounted on the hipbolsters such that under compression to the predefined width, the impactdecouplers/secondary slides do not obstruct the compression process.

Some of these embodiments have a further feature to lower and raise thehip bolsters to facilitate 11 egress and ingress. In some suchembodiments Slots in the hip bolster accommodate the secondary slides atthe time of withdrawal of the hip bolsters to approximately the level ofthe seat bottoms. In addition there are slots to accommodate the slidingsurfaces on the fixed elements of the vehicle, that are attached to theimpact decouplers/secondary slides. This arrangement for lowering andraising the hip bolsters may be activated when the doors are opened andclosed, raising the hip bolsters to the operating position when thedoors are closed and lowering the hip bolsters when the doors are openedthereby facilitating egress and ingress. The lowering and raisingarrangement can also be disabled to allow more passengers to use theback seat but without the using the side impact protection system.

-   -   The arrangement for raising and lowering the hip bolsters may        also be used to change the width of the seat bottom within        limits by changing the height of the bolsters, each having an        angled edge on the sides facing the seat bottoms.

The back rest P112 and the shoulder bolster/support P111, support theback and shoulders/arms respectively of the passengers. The seat bottomP102 and the back rest P112 are located in the same lateral position foreach of the passengers. Similarly, the hip bolsters and the shoulderbolsters are located in the same lateral position so that the shoulderbolster lies substantially above the hip bolster. The shoulder bolsteris controllably crushable like the hip bolster, to be reduced undercompressive lateral forces to a predefined narrow width. The back restand the shoulder bolster support are mounted on impactdecoupler/secondary slides in an analogous fashion to the seat bottomand the hip bolster respectively. Moreover, the back rest and the seatbottom are connected so that the movement of the seat bottom and theback rest when decoupled and thereafter laterally slidably attached tothe fixed members of the vehicle, follow each other exactly so that thepassenger support position is maintained under lateral impactconditions. Some embodiments have retracting arrangements of theshoulder bolster analogous to the hip bolster.

In some embodiments the sliding surfaces on the fixed elements of thevehicle, that the impact decoupler/secondary slides are restrained tofollowing during impact, may be segmented into sections across thevehicle so that sections of the seat back may be folded down along withthese surfaces to provide enhanced storage space in the trunk of thevehicle or for other utility purposes. Moreover the members of the fixedelements of the vehicle that provide these sliding surfaces may beconstructed in telescoping elements so that on lateral impact theydecouple and telescope together rather than buckle under lateral forcesthereby maintaining the integrity of the lateral sliding surfaces. Thesetelescoping sections may also form a part of the impact decouplingarrangement of the secondary slides.

The head rest P113 is connected to the back rest and is verticallyadjustable but is laterally fixed to the back rest, and therefore willmove laterally with the back rest in the event of a side impact ofsufficient magnitude, thereby ensuring that the head and the back of thepassenger are supported at the same lateral position ensuring that thereis little differential movement of the head relative to the body of thepassenger during impact.

Under lateral impact conditions, forces on the protector shields whichmay consist of the vehicle body sides and/or the back door and/or therear wheels and sections of the wheel wells of the vehicle, all of whichhave surfaces that abut the sides of the passengers, the hip bolstersand the shoulder bolsters on the impact side of the vehicle, provideimpact resistance. As a controlled crush commences in a lateraldirection, internal airbags are deployed adjoining the hip bolsters andshoulder bolsters on the impact side of the vehicle but on the inside ofthe protector shield elements, thereby transferring impact forcesthrough the airbag to the hip bolster and shoulder bolster on the impactside of the vehicle. The inside airbag in some embodiments may be inseveral sections with one or more of these sections mounted inside therear wheel well of the vehicle.

Head and neck airbags P114, Body air bags P115 and side bolster airbagsP110 are deployed on impact to hold the passengers in the survival spacecontained by the seat bottom, the back rest and the head rest.Thereafter the movement of the passengers laterally will be with minimaldifferential movement of the body elements as they are held by theairbags that are in turn attached to the head rest the back rest and theseat bottom respectively, which in turn are constrained to move togetherlaterally on impact.

The airbags may be constructed as micro-air cushions that are driven bythe internal airbag as the sacrificial chamber. They may also beseparately deployed airbags.

Some of the chambers of the inside airbags may be preinflated andtherefore completely passive.

The body airbags may be shaped to be inclined downwards on the topsurface to gently push the arms of the passengers forward, whilemaintaining relatively even support for the arms down from the shoulder.

In the compressed position of the hip bolsters and shoulder bolsters, itis likely that the shoulder space will be very limited. Therefore, someembodiments may have the center seat back offset forward relative to theseat backs on either side, thereby moving the passenger in the centralseat to be slightly ahead of the passengers on the side in the operatingposition. Therefore under impact, the shoulders of the center passengerwill not abut the shoulders of the passengers on the side but will lieahead of the shoulders of the passengers on the sides, thereby allowingadequate space for shoulders of all passengers under impact. The bodyair bags on deployment will push all the arms forward and upward andhold the torsos of passengers on both sides. If the center passengershoulder is in front of the side passenger shoulders the inner arm ofeach of the side passengers will push up the arms of the centerpassenger when the air bag deploys.

The shapes of the body airbags may be such that they hold bothpassengers on either side, or be designed to hold only one of the twopassengers adjoining the hip bolster or shoulder bolster from which itis deployed. In the latter case there will be two bags to support eachof the two passengers on either side the hip bolster and the shoulderbolster. The hip bolster and shoulder bolsters on the ends of the rearseat assembly will need only one air bag on each as there is only oneadjoining passenger.

Some car architectures have the rear wheel well partially straddling therear seat. As a result an outward displacement of the rear seat on thefurther side from the impact can be prevented. Some embodiments of thepresent invention that are in these architectures, have speciallyconstructed wheel wells and componentry that are placed between theseats and the wheel wells to allow a compression of the wheel wells asthe rear seat moves outwards on the side opposite the collision. Some ofthese arrangements may include a perforation or weakening of the wheelwell along the profile of the seat in the outward extended position ofthe seat under impact of the side further from the impact, to allow thelateral force of the seat on the wheel well to separate and crush thesection in the way of the seat to allow the movement of the seat. Toassist with this process of separation of the section of the wheel wellin the way of the seat, the seat may have mounted to its edge in aposition facing the wheel well a cutting edge, so that the wheel wellmay be cut or separated more easily during collision conditions asdescribed above.

Yet other embodiments in architectures of cars that have wheel wellspartially straddling the rear seat, have airbags that deploy in thewheel well on the impact side to control the forces on the rear seat,and would provide the function of the inside airbags in otherembodiments.

Yet other embodiments of the present invention have a raised and/orforward shifted section of the middle seat on the rear seat assembly sothat in the normal operating position the passenger in the center seat,has his/her shoulders in a position that will not engage the shouldersof the side passengers under impact. As a result the present inventionwill under side impact conditions, compress the side bolsters andback/shoulder bolsters, while maintaining the survival space of the backand bottom rests of the seats, while the shoulders overlap and therebypermit the compression of the arrangement of the passengers under sideimpact.

Another additional embodiment provides for the convertion of the vehicleas described in the present invention into an aircraft with the samerobust safety arrangements, but also adapted for functioning as ahelicopter type vehicle with the necessary changes in the architectureto provide for the power source at the top of the passenger cab, whileretaining a reduced wheel base if necessary for balance and maneuveringconsiderations. Notably the present invention can therefore haveembodiments that are aircraft with the side, front and back impactprotection that is required for use of such vehicles on conventionalroads exceeding the stringent minimum safety standards of all roadvehicles.

One version of this additional embodiment has the front module 194,along with the crank 196, and the pivoting socket for pivoting about apin on the front end 190, 192 mounted on a pair of elevator beams 199,each supported pivotally near the center of the vehicle 188 or in itsvicinity, and constructed such that they support the front module whenin the near horizontal position when the vehicle functions as a groundvehicle. Each of the cranks 196 have one of their pivots mounted on thecorresponding elevator beam 199. the other pivot of the ctrank being onthe module 194. The module in the near horizontal position duringfunctioning as a surface vehicle will have the notches at the front endresting in the pivot pins on the front end 190 and locked adequately inplace. This arrangement, ensures that in the event of a collision at thefront end, the pivot pin engages the slot and pushes the front modulebackwards at the pin position, thereby forcing the crank 196, that isfixed on the stationary elevator beam 199 at the rear end, to move therear pivot on the front module upwardsand thereby ensure the performanceof the present invention with this structure as noted herein. Whenelevated by mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic means well disclosed inthe background art, the elevator beam inclines the front module to anadjustable angle to the vertical. Threby allowing a folded propellerthat may be mounted at the front end of the said front module and thevanes of which may be folded in a storage position on the sides of thefront module and its top and bottom in recesses designed for the purpose(the length of the vanes/blades can be greater for those stored on thesides of the front module and shorter for those stored at the top andbottom of the front module. Figures do not show the folded propeller)this propeller can be engaged to the motor and/or engine that is in thefront module to provide loft for the vehicle to fly. In addition thefront end 192 and back end 193 may be retracted as described in thepresent invention, to fold the back end upwards and to reduce the wheelbase and the maneuverability of the airbourne vehicle. The position ofthe rear module can be varied with controls on the retraction of theback end to provide the right balace characteristics of the vehicle whenair boume. This additional embodiment is bewst suited for a drive bywire vehicle as the front module is not directly connected to the wheelsand a transmission system to the wheels is not necessary, therebyreducing the weight of the vehicle. Low mass wheel motors are anotheruseful addition to propel the vehicle as a ground vehicle. Such wheelmotors may be used to drive small propellers to provide lateral thrustneeded for the vehicle when in flight. (in some embodiments after beingdisengaged from the wheels) Forward thrust can be provided from the mainpropeller with an inclined elevator beam.

Moreover, in this additional flying embodiment and in an embodiment fora standard ground vehicle, the shock absorbtion systems in 189; 190 mayhave shock absorbers that may be decoupled to provide even greaterretraction movement under servo control.

Yet other flying embodiments of the present invention have dualelevating beams that engage both the front and the back modules therebypermitting both modules to to be elevated and drive the propellers orrotors. These embodiments will have the modules in the elevated positionto be at a small angle to each other so that the rotors do not collidewhile rotating. Moreover they have contra rotating rotors or propellers.The inclination of the rotors or propellers may be changed to facilitateforward sideward or backward movement of the vehicle.

Yet other flying embodiments have dual elevator beams on each side foreach module so that they may elevate the moduled to a positionsubstantially above the passenger cabin without rotating the modulessubstantially.

Yet other flying embodiments of the present invention maintain themodules in the normal operating position as in a surface vehicle asnoted herein, but with rotor or propeller shafts that may be angledupwards to a substantially vertical orientation. These embodiments mayhave rotor or prpeller shafts that are long so that the center of liftor the point at which the upward thrust of the rotors applies will bewell above the center of gravity of the vehicle thereby providinggreater stability.

Yet another flying embodiment of the present invention, has each of theseats on one or more mounts (these mounts can be the secondary & primaryslide arrangements noted herein), such that under substantial verticalload as encountered in a vertical crash situation the mounts tilt sothat the seat support for the back or spine of the passenger or operatorinclines backwards so that the axial load on the spine due to thevertical deceleration is reduced by supporting the upper body in asubstantially horizontal or inclined position. These tilting mounts maybe attached to the fixed body members of the vehicle and maintained inthe operating position using friction or impact shear load induceddecoupling arrangements. One such embodiment has a pair of primary andsecondary slides as in a conventional non-flying embodiment but inaddition has the central mount of the primary slide rearward on thevehicle attached to the central body member with a key and slotarrangement with a key on the lower primary slide mount and the slot onthe central body member 201, such that under vertical impact the keydecouples and slide into the slot vertically thereby rotating the seatabout the primary slide on the forward side of the seat resulting in a“cradle” position for the seat that protects the passenger from a axialload on the spine. Yet another embodiment may use the two center mountsof the lower primary slide, linked rigidly together by a member that isshaped in the arc of a circle in the vertical plane of the central bodymember with center above the central body member, said rigid memberhoused in a slot in the fixed central member, such that under normaloperation and under lateral impact the linking member is not detachedfrom the fixed central body member of the vehicle and transfers thelateral load to the fixed body members, but under vertical loading ofthe seat (and the primary slide) the linking member detaches and slidesin the housing slot to describean arc of the same circles that definesthe profiles of the slot and the linking member, the center of saidcircles being so arranged that with this circular movement of thelinking member in the slot the center of gravity of the passenger oroperator and the seat are lowered, and the seat rotates in a directionto a cradle position where the passenger or operator is in a recliningposition or the upper body of said passenger is in a near horizontalposition.

Yet another additional embodiment of the present invention has thepassenger support mechanism (the seat in many embodiments) supported bya pivot substantially in the center of the seat and near the lowersupport element of the support mechanism and the occupant contactsurface thereof, with an axis along the direction of motion of thevehicle, and motion about this pivot being spring controlled to returnthe seat to the operating position under no external forces. The pivotalmovement is also heavily damped to absorb energy as the seat is moved ineither lateral direction from the operating vertical position. The pivotis attached on its other end to the impact decoupler/secondary slidesthat have been previously disclosed. In the event of the side impact,the internal airbags or equivalents that may be damped springs, willinitially move the passenger support mechanism pivotally prior to theimpact decouplers of the secondary slide being decoupled. Thereforefollowing impact, the head and thorax start moving first towards theimpacted surface of the vehicle (or accelerate more slowly than theimpacted surface of the vehicle) and then the body rotates with thepassenger support mechanism away from the impact, and finally if theimpact is severe enough, the entire body with the passenger supportmechanism moves when the impact decouplers are decoupled. Thisadditional embodiment gives the head and thorax a greater motion spacethan the pelvic region as the body accelerates, and is particularlyuseful if the movement of the lower seat is constrained by fixedelements of the vehicle such as a center tunnel that is not designed tocollapse. The longer time (and distance) allowed for the head and thoraxto accerate give them a potentially lower peak acceleration of theacceleration is designed to be as near constant as possible be design ofthe springs and dampers controlling the pivotal movement and theresistance to motion caused by the secondary slides when decoupled.Notably in this additional embodiment the head and neck are wellsupported by elements of the passenger support mechanism.

Yet another additional embodiment extends the embodiment shown in FIGS.10D1–10D4 where the safety beam upper element is concentric to thesafety beam lower element. Here the safety beam lower and upper elementshave an interlocking worm drive that is driven at one of the ends ofthese elements to move the safety beam upper element into the accessposition and back from the operating position. Thre can be multipleconcentric telescoping tubes that constitute the safety beam upperelement provide an accordian type extension the drive in this embodimentmay be between the safety beam lower element and the section of thesafety beam upper element sections that supports the passenger supportmechanism directly or indirectly through the impact decouplers/secondaryslides. Furthermore in this embodiment the inside airbag equivalents maybe damped spring assemblies that engage the cylindrical safety beamlower and upper elements when in the operating position. This will beparticularly useful for hinged protector shields that move separately tothe passenger support mechanism such as in gull wing dorrs. Such hingedprotector shields may have pins to engage the safety beam lower andupper element in the operating position.

ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

In an alternative embodiment to the preferred embodiment, the presentinvention may use hinged Protector Shields (106) that lock into thePrimary Slide (107) when closed. This will allow the arrangement to workfor mounting and dismounting the vehicle with either the Primary Slidesdeactivated or non-operational as well as when they are functional. Theseats may also be mounted on rotating mechanisms or extension armsrather than a primary slide, to assist passengers in mounting anddismounting.

Another alternative embodiment utilizes co-axial sliding mechanisms thatconstitute said rotating mechanisms rather than the primary slides suchthat the fixed and rotating members of said rotating mechanisms have anadequate area of contact and reaction to support lateral collisionforces.

Another alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 6A. The“door” that contains the perforation shield (105) with distance/velocitysensors (113), the external airbags (104), the shock absorbers (103) andthe protector shields (106), hinges down on the pivot (112A) to providesupport for the upper primary slide. The inner surface of the Protectorshield is designed to perform the function of the lower Primary slide(102). This embodiment will be particularly useful for larger vehicleswith a plurality of seats on each side of the vehicle. These multipleseats may be mounted on separate sections of upper primary and secondaryslides.

Yet another embodiment has the at least one shock absorbing device andthe at least one force distributing protector shield comprising adeformable protective shell mounted to the fixed elements of the vehicleon the outside of the passengers so that in the event of a side impact,the shell distributes the impact force to the fixed body members of thevehicle while by deforming, absorbs some of the energy of impact.

Another alternative embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 1D to 4D wherethe Shock Absorbers (103) excluding the External Air bags (104) aremounted on the inner surface of the protector shields (106). As may beseen from the drawings, in this particular embodiment, the shockabsorber excluding the external air bags are locked directly to thelower primary slide (102, 102′) in the operating position, although inanother configuration the locks my be between the protector shield andthe lower primary slide in the operating position. Such embodiments maybe designed to allow limited intrusion of the protector shield withresistance provided by the shock absorber (103) thereby reducing thepeak acceleration sustained by the vehicle body under impact. Notably,as the passenger environment is protected and moves away from theimpact, crush injury to the passenger is avoided. This is a uniquefeature of this invention where both the crush injury of the passengerand the peak acceleration of the vehicle (and the passenger as a result)may be minimized at the same time. Conventional designs try to minimizeintrusion by bracing the side of the vehicle with beams and therebyincreasing the peak acceleration of the vehicle, or increasing intrusionto reduce the peak acceleration but allowing greater crush injury.

Another alternative embodiment may have a contoured safety harness witha different shape to that of the preferred embodiment. FIGS. 12A1 to12C1 illustrate an embodiment of a safety harness using a slightlydifferent geometry but performing the same function in the same way asin the preferred embodiment.

Some embodiments of the multi-element contoured seat may have sides thatfold downand away from the passenger. This feature is usefulparticularly for the inner side of the passengers near the side of thevehicle and for both sides of the passengers in the middle of thevehicle, if the center seats are fixed and not ejectable. Notablyhowever, the sides lock in the operating position and brace the seatfrom lateral compression, thereby protecting the passenger.

Some embodiments have seat bottoms comprising two symmetrical elementseach with a support surface for supporting the pelvis of the passenger,where the said support surface may be laterally displaced to space outthe symmetric elements and/or angled about an axis horizontal and in thedirection of motion of the vehicle. Such an arrangement for the seatbottom allows adjustment of the supprt provided by the seat to belateral as well as vertical to the preference of the user. Moreover, ifthe said symmetrical elements are designed to be curved to accommodatethe pelvis of the user, there can be substantial lateral support for thepelvis of the user, in many of the preferred angular orientations of theseat elements, in the event of a lateral impact.

Some embodiments of the seats may have sides that could include armrests, side bolsters and other elements as disclosed in this invention,that that drop down or back on the door or access side at the time ofegress and ingress, particularly in embodiments that use conventionaldoors for access. Activation for these movements can be with theswitching on and off of the ignition switch for the vehicle.

Yet another embodiment raises he seat bottom at the time of egress andingress with servos or pneumatic/hydraulic systems, so that the seatmembers on the sides of the sat are relatively lower to the seat bottomthereby facilitating egress and ingeress of the passenger. Moreover,arrangements to raise the seat bottom may in addition in someembodiments help negotiate a high “door” sill by the sliding or rotatingseats at egress and ingress.

Yet another embodiment using conventional doors, has the arm rests onthe door side integrated in to the doors but protected and decoupledfrom the door members on its outside by inside air bags. This designwould have these arm rests locking into the seat when the door isclosedthereby providing the decoupling for the entire seat with theinside airbag during lateral impact.

Another altemaive embodiment uses shock absorbing devices mounted ateach end on each of the two surfaces of the impact decoupler/secondaryslide substituting or supplementing the inside airbags.

Another alternative embodiment may have an auxiliary slide behind theseat and of any convenient height. This embodiment is shown in FIGS.1C–4C. The figures illustrate the working of the current invention witha high section of the central member of the indo skeletal structurebehind the seats, but abutting the auxiliary beams in the operatingposition. As the High section of the central member (101) is behind theseats and the secondary slides (111), the seats and the secondary slidesare free to move across the vehicle under impact as shown in FIG. 4C.

Yet another alternative embodiment has an external seat profile asillustrated in FIG. 12E1. The higher rectangular external profileprovides greater protection to the passenger.

Yet another alternative embodiment has a vertical extension/“safetycage” (125) as shown in FIGS. 10A1, 10B1 and 10C1. Here the verticalextension/safety cage engages a beam across the top of the vehicle thatmay be supported by the shell structure of the vehicle (the figure showsonly half the width of the vehicle). Such a safety cage/verticalextension can provide protection in a roll over situation and alsoprovide additional compressive strength for the vehicle, and mayfunction as a fixed or retractable roll bar. In some embodiments such avertical extension “safety cage” will perform the function of the “B”pillar of the vehicle under lateral impact. Notably no “B” pillar isneeded to support rear door hinges in the present invention. Moreover,in some embodiments the beam arrangement across the top of the vehicleor other support structures on the roof section of the shell may bedesigned to be rigid on compression but telescope out with the secondaryslides under impact using appropriate logic to drive the lockingmechanisms, thereby providing a protective cage even when the seat is inthe ejected state.

Yet another embodiment, deters a roll over following side impact, byimplementing an “outrigger” arrangement having reinforced upper primaryslides and/or secondary slides and bracing brackets anchored to thefixed members of the vehicle that hold these slides in their extendedsubstantially horizontal position after extension under impact, withoutpermitting them to buckle under a vertical forces encountered under theinitial stage of a roll over situation.

The preferred embodiment has the external airbags or shock absorberstriggered on detection of an expected impact as noted. This implies thaton the far side (non-impact side) if there is possible secondary impactfrom a second object, the same mechanisms will deploy the externalairbags on the second side, thereby protecting the far side occupant inthe event of a second object hitting the vehicle soon after the first.An alternative embodiment can have distance/velocity sensors mounted inpositions on the front and back edge of the perforation shields orprotector shields to facilitate better detection of objects approachingthe vehicle at wide angles to the perpendicular direction. Yet anotheralternative embodiment to this will have both impact side and far sideexternal airbags deploy on detection of the first impact.

Another alternative embodiment has a safety harness/shield asillustrated in FIG. 12H2. This embodiment of the safety harness ismounted on spring loaded hinged supports at the head support section ofthe multi element adjustable seat (137)—similar to conventional supportsfor the headrest, and to lockable supports between the arm rests (138)or on the side bolsters of the multi element adjustable seat. The springloading will support the weight of the harness and thereby retract theharness when unlocked. The harness includes a hinged and spring mountedshield (130) that may pivot on the lower safety harness support (138),The passenger side of the shield, has on its surface an implementationof a Passive Air Cushion System that uses the pressure in one or moresacrificial chambers which under pressure transfer air to one or moremicro-air cushionsthat protect high priority anatomical regions. In thisembodiment, the passive anatomical micro air cushion (131), derives itinflation source from the sacrificial chamber (139) at the lower end ofthe shield of the safety harness, that is compressed by a much greaterbody mass under impact. In a frontal collision the force of the moremassive parts of the body on the sacrificial chamber will deploy thepassive anatomical micro-air cushions to protect the face and the neck.The narrower sections of the aircushions and flow control mechanisms ifinstalled, will cause some visco-elastic behavior and in addition causeair speed amplification to create faster deployment. While thismechanism activates the shield (130) may pivot down to take some of theimpact energy. The shield is shaped to the contour of the human bodyhead and neck when it is forced forward as in a frontal collision. Thisembodiment may in addition have multiple or variable postion harnesssupport anchor points on the arm rests or the side bolsters that arepart of the multi-element seat, to accommodate people of differentproportions. Moreover this embodiment may have in addition an additionalbracket that moves the anchor point of the lower safety harness lockingsupports substantially forward, and provides a supplementary passiveanatomical micro-air-cushion that can be mounted on the permanentmicro-air-cushion on the shield, to accommodate pregnant women, and thespecial critical force distribution they can withstand.

In this embodiment, the two pivoted arms swing forward under collisionforces the moment created by the shield with the body pressure againstit, and extends the upper extending arms (133) to absorb some of theshock and to provide a space for the forward movement of the upper body.The elbows (132) facilitate the relative angular movement of the upperarms and lower arms of the safety harness (133,134). They are springloaded to ensure that they support the lower parts of the harness whenunlocked to allow the entire harness to move up and away from the bodywhen unlocked without any force being applied. Under side impact thepassiveanatomical head and neck micro-air-cushions deploy to protect thehead and neck under relative lateral acceleration. Notably the passiveanatomical head and neck micro-air-cushions can be actively deployed oras in this embodiment passively deployed by a discharge of air fromsacrificial chambers between the seats or on the outer surface of theseats and mounted on each of the seats, so that lateral pressure willinflate the anatomical head and neck micro-air-cushions. The sacrificialchambers offer secondary impact protection by cushioning the seat.Notably this embodiment does not use any active airbags in the vicinityof the human body, reducing the risks associated with the high energyexternal deployment devices. The adjustable head rest (136) followsconventional design but is here mounted on the safety harness hingedmounts.

FIG. 12I2 shows the passive anatomical micro-air-cushions deployed (thesacrificial chamber has been compressed and the top region is full andready to protect the face and neck in a frontal impact. FIG. 12J2 showsthe anatomical head and neck passive micro airbags deployed under sideimpact, ready to support the head and neck in a side collision. Notablythis embodiment uses a new concept where the impact energy is redeployedfor protecting vital parts of the impacted object which are oftenembedded inside the object, using fluid transfer—in this case airtransfer. Force and velocity amplification or deamplification can beacheieved with the geometry of the interconnections, the sacrificialchambers and the micro-air-cushions. The sacrificial chambers can beused for secondary impact protection as well by carefully controllingthe flow parameters. This is illustrated in FIG. 17. The approachobviates the need for active airbag technologies in the vicinity ofsensitive equipment, living organisms and indeed people.

This embodiment of the harness allows movement within the vehicle forpassengers when it is unlocked and allowed to swing up within thevehicle as shown in FIG. 16D. However, visibility is somewhat obstructedpreventing the driver from driving without locking the harness in place.

In this embodiment of the safety harness entering and leaving thevehicle are facilitated by the entire device swinging away from the bodyas shown in FIGS. 16A,B and C. The passenger simply needs to stand up toleave. To enter the passenger simply sit down and place his/her feet onthe foot rest (141) and retract the slider mechanism. This embodimentalso has radar or infrared detectors as on elevator doors to detectlimbs in the way of the retracting sliding mechanism for the protectionof the passengers.

FIG. 15C shows the parts of this embodiment and the adjustable armrests.

Another embodiment of the shield on the safety harness has a foldingsection at the top that can be straightened and locked in place foradults and folded down for children.

Another embodiment uses flexible netting on part of the shield surfaceto protect passengers under impact. In this embodiment, the shield has aframe on which the netting is deployed. The upper end of the frame isadequately bent forward and then downwards to ensure that the passengerhead and neck do not strike the frame under frontal collision. In yetanother embodiment of this arrangement, the shield of flexible nettingis designed for the head and neck and is normally retracted forward, anddeployed on impact by initial forces by the lower torso of the passengeragainst the lower part of the safety harness/shield.

Yet another variation of this safety harness with netting on a frame,has telescoping frame members on the sides so that the height of theframe is adjustable by retraction of the telescoping members toaccommodate children and small adults.

Yet another embodiment of the harness has an upper section of the safetyharness consisting of spring mounted support arms mounted in thevicinity of the head rest and designed—when pulled down by thepassenger—to swing down and over the passenger head and in front of thepassenger. The support arms each having telescoping sections thatconnect to the shield, such telescoping sections having arrangements foran inertial racheting that prevent extension of these telescoping armsin the event of a sudden tension as in an impact. The lower section ofthe harness consists of short adjustable belts or arms that can belocked on the sides of the seat or on the inside of the arm rests as ina four point seat belt. This embodiment provides all the benefits of afour point seat belt but in addition has the benefit of head and necksupport in the event of a collision. This arrangement allows protectionwith the telescoping sections and the adjustments on the lower end ofthe harness for different sized passengers. Yet another embodimentutilizes the passive anatomical micro air cushion (131) at the top ofthe shield/harness that derives its inflation source from thesacrificial chamber (139) at the lower end of the safety shield/harness.However, in this embodiment the anatomical micro air cushion is limitedto only the top edge of the shield to support the head, neck and theupper thorax when deployed under collision conditions. This anatomicalmicro air cushion (131) is supported by pairs of telescoping tubes thelower member of each such tubes being fixed to the harness/shieldsupport in the vicinity of the sacrificial chamber, and the upper memberof each pair of telescoping tubes are attached to the passive anatomicalmicro air cushion (131). The outer tubes have contoured semi-rigidmaterials to conform broadly to the body shape. The lower and uppermembersof each pair telescope into one another co-axially, and arelockable in different longtitudinal positions relative to the othermember of the pair, thereby providing for a variable height anatomicalmicro air cushion. Airflow under deployment conditions is conductedeither directly through said telescoping tubes or seperate tubes thathave an “accordian” collapsible structure that can extend as thetelescoping tubes do, and may be placed inside said telescoping tubes.The length of the telescoping tubes may be manually set with the locksor in other embodiments set by automated or computer controls that sensethe size of the passenge from selected elements of the multi-elementcontoured seat.

Yet another embodiment has a harness as in FIG. 12H2 except that thereis a safety harness support arm only on the outer side of the passengertowards the side of the vehicle. (i.e in sonme of these embodimentsthere is one Safety Harness elbow (132), one Safety Harness extendingupper arm (133) and one Safety Harness Pivoting lower arm (134).Moreover the safety harness/shield support arm is designed such thatupon release from across the lap of the passenger, the shield flips to avertical plane in the vicinity of the vertical plane of said supportarm. Thereby permitting the safety harness to swing over the head of thepassenger even when the seat is only partially displaced for entry orexit from the vehicle. Often this may be useful when there is limtedaccess space next to the vehicle.

Yet another embodiment, principally for vehicles with drive by wiretechnologies, has the vehicle controls mounted on the shield. If asteering wheel is used this may be mounted on the front surface of theshield (on the surface opposite the passenger). Thesteering wheel orother controls may have distance adjustments for ergonomic positioning.

Yet another embodiment principally for drive by wire technologies, hasthe driver controls mounted on the contoured arm rests of the car.Adjustments for the arm rests will include further controls for theergonomic positioning of these controls on the arm rests.

Vehicles, principally those that utilize drive by wire technologies witheither of the above configurations, will have the entire area below thewindshied free of controls. This embodiment utilizes this area for a GPSdriven positioning display that mimics the view ahead of the driver. Thedisplay system may use vector imaging techniques or non-linear imagemapping techniques that are well disclosed in the background art thatprovide the same perspective to the driver on the display as what hesees on the road ahead, thereby minimizing mental processing ofinformation in establishing a correspondence between the image and theactual physical position and orientation of the vehicle thereby reducingreaction time for action by the driver. Furthermore, the positioning ofthe display just below the screen ensures that there is minimal spacialdisorientation of the driver in turning his/her head to look at thescreen thereby reducing further the mental information processing needsand improving further the reaction time of the driver. In someembodiments when there are controls such as a steering wheel in front ofthe driver, a fixed or a “pop up” screen just below the windshield or aprojection onto the lower windshield may be utilized. The image mayinclude the destination and path to that destination and may be at adifferent scale to the perspective of the driver ahead of the vehicle.This embodiment and variations provide a unique system that conventionalGPS navigation systems do not provide in speeding up driver reactiontimes.

Another embodiment has air conditioning micro-ducts on the seatingsurfaces and the safety harness/shields, for the comfort of passengers,particularly in open vehicles.

Another alternative embodiment has the “Open” switch for the slide onthe inside of the vehicle designed the “press bar” so that the intuitivereaction of the passenger to “open the door” is harnessed. However, thiscan be deactivated when the vehicle is in motion.

Another alternative embodiment has a center console that is designed tocrush under impact as shown in FIGS. 1F–4F, thereby minimizing theejection of the far side passenger on impact.

Yet another embodiment has a detachable center console that includespart of the center tunnel that houses the transmission shaft for rearwheel drive vehicles with front mounted engines and several cable andhydraulic systems. One such embodiment has perforated or weakened lineof detachment or an interlocking arrangement on the center tunnel thatdelineates the section of the center tunnel that will be detached fromthe remaining part of the center tunnel in the event that the seatcarriage with secondary slides apply sufficient shear force on this lineof intended detachment. In embodiments that require the separation ofthe two sections of the center tunnel by cutting through the weakenedtunnel material along the predefined line, a cutting edge mounted on themoving surface of the secondary slide may be used to cut through thetunnel material in the event of an impact. Notably, in the event of aside impact, the lateral torsional force system will tend to raise theimpact side of the vehicle. Therefore the transmission shaft in thissituation will be at the lowest level of the center tunnel within thedesign parameters, and therefore will not be in the way of the searedsection of the center tunnel which will be at the top of the tunnel.Moreover, the pipes and cables that are mounted within the tunnel may bemounted such that they have adequate slack in the event of such adisplacement of the sheared section. They may also be mounted low enoughon the center tunnel to be below the line of shear on the center tunnel,which will avoid the need for special considerations for the cables andpipes in the event of the shear of the upper tunnel. In the event thatthe design of the vehicle requires a high center tunnel where thetransmission shaft will not be low enough to allow the traverse of thesheared tunnel over it, the transmission shaft may be designed tofracture or decouple in the region of the sheared section of the centertunnel, in the event of lateral forces as in this situation but stilltransfer the required torsional forces to drive the vehicle. This may beachieved with suitable couplings on the transmission shaft. Anotherimportant consideration for this embodiment is that the peakacceleration of the vehicle following impact and the resulting peakforces precede the time at which the shear of the tunnel will occur andtherefore the integrity of the tunnel is maintained at the time when thestrength of the tunnel and the remaining structure is most needed. Thelength of the detaching section of the center tunnel and indeed theother parts of the center console mounted thereon may be increased insome embodiments to accommodate the legs of the passenger as the seatmoves towards the center of the vehicle.

Another alternative embodiment has the internal airbag partially filledat all times, so that in the event of no deployment of the externalairbags either because of technology failure or non installation orother reason, the passenger and seat arrangement are cushioned evenprior to further inflation of the internal airbag on deployment onimpact. Shock absorbers may supplement the operation of the internalairbags in this embodiment with partially inflated internal airbagsunder normal operating conditions.

Another alternative embodiment can have the internal airbags deployed onimpact as noted with such deployment effected by inflation by some ofthe compressed air of the external airbags on impact, thereby providing“acceleration de-amplification” for the movement of the passengers onimpact.

Yet another embodiment has proactive sensors deploying the internalairbags directly, without the installation of external airbags.

Yet another embodiment of the invention has a retaracting canopy storedin the roof of the vehicle, and attachable to the protector shield orattached components such as the side window, when desired. Whenattached, the canopy will deploy over the seats when in the extended orloading positions, thereby protecting the seat and the passenger fromrain or other snow while entering or leaving the vehicle.

Yet another embodiment has external airbags constructed using thePassive Air-Cushion System with micro chambers that are connected toeach other by restricted paths that provide visco elastic energyabsorbtion in the event of some sections of the airbag being impactedwhile others are not, thereby forcing air from the compressed microchambers to the other micro chambers, each of the micro chambersfunctioning as either a sacrificial chamber or a Micro Air Cushion onimpact. This embodiment may of course have external airbags proactivelydeployed in the manner described herein, prior to impact and theirperformance as Micro Air Cushion systems. Yet another variation mayinclude one-way valves between the chamber directly connected to theinflation source and each of the micro-chambers (implementable forexample with flaps against an aperture) so that inflation may beachieved rapidly, and then the Passive Air-cushion benefits realized onimpact.

Yet another embodiment uses the Passive Air-cushion system to protectpassengers from “Whip Lash” injury, by providing Micro Air-cushions inthe vicinity of the head and neck, and providing sacrificial chambersthat are compressed in the event of a rear end collision. In someembodiments the sacrificial chamber can be mounted below the seat withone face mounted to the vehicle structure and the other face mounted tothe seat of the passenger, the seat being mounted to the supportstructure to allow controlled limited rearward movement relative to itsmountings to allow compression of the sacrificial chamber by theinertial mass of the passenger and seat on impact.

Yet another embodiment utilizes multiple adjoining but seperate PassiveAir-cushion systems where on esuch system connects the external airbags(sacrificial chambers) with internal airbags (micro Air-cushions), andanother such system connects different and distinct internal airbags(sacrificial chambers) to micro Air-cushions in the vicinity of thepassenger's body, thereby creating a cascading system of PassiveAir—cushion systems. These embodiments may of course have externalairbags proactively deployed in the manner described herein, prior toimpact and their performance as Micro Air Cushion systems.

Yet another embodiment utilizes the independence of the venting of microaircushions and the venting of the sacrificial chamber, to maintain theinflation of the air cushions well after the time frame for impactabsorbtion by the sacrificial chamber such that the passenger is held ina safe position for a predetermined time. Some such embodiments may holdthe passenger for a period of upto say 3 seconds to protect thepassenger in the event of a roll over of the vehicle. Among theseembodiments, some may have rollover detection devices that sense theorientation of the vehicle that slows the venting of the micro aircushions in the event of the commencement of a rollover of the vehicle.

Yet another embodiment comprises actively inflated airbags of minimalvolume each connected to a plurality of anatomical micro aircushions,mounted on the multi element adjustable seat, that deploy on either sideof the head and neck, either side and ahead of the torso and thoraxbelow the arms and either side of and above the upper legs, said airbagsinflatable in the event of a detection of a side impact thereby holdingthe passenger in the multi element adjustable seat for translation withthe motion of the multi element adjustable seat propelled by theinternal airbag or the internal shock absorbing devices.

Yet another embodiment utilizes an auxiliary brake attached to thesecondary slides in addition to the friction limited slidingarrangements of the secondary slide, to provide a further control on therate of movement of the secondary slide under side or lateral impact.

Yet another embodiment utilizes a foot safety switch attached to thefoot rest, that activates the sliding mechanism to move the slidingseats into and out of the vehicle. The foot rest in some suchembodiments may be bar that is depressed to move the slide into and outof the vehicle. These foot rests being designed to avoid ankle injuriesin the event of rear collisions sustained by the vehicle.

Yet another embodiment uses supplementary porous filling materialswithin prefilled internal airbags designed with suitable vents to changethe compression characteristics of the inside airbags under impact.

Yet another embodiment utilizes pressure memory capable materials on thesurface of the seats or passenger supports so that surround seatscontour to the exact shape of the body for further comfort of passengersand also better support under collision conditions.

Yet another embodiment for proactive impact detection uses one or moreof radar detection and motion detection as in machine vision usingvisible or infrared or ultraviolet spectral components. The use of boththese approaches for detection may use algorithms that estimate thespeed of approach of the impacting object and the distance, and therebyhave independent measures of the required inflation of external orinternal airbags. In conjunction with each other in some embodiments,the failure probability of the system is reduced by using the worst casescenario of impact—with regard to velocity and time of impact—detectedby these two systems. The two measurements may also be used instochastic estimators to provide a better quality estimate of thedistance and velocity parameters of the impacting object, when the twoindependent measurements are sufficiently similar to exclude thepossibility of failure of either system to within a predefined errorthreshold. Moreover, those embodiments that use more than one camera inthe machine vision system for motion detection can make 3-dimensionalestimates of the impacting body and thereby from a database of knownobject shapes and sizes, predict the type of object and thereby its massfor better estimation of the best response with the deployment patternand inflation levels of the external and internal air bags. Still otherembodiments with a single camera in the machine vision system mayutilize the divergence of the profile of the impacting vehicle as itapproaches to predict relationships between the impact velocity anddistance by assuming a constant velocity of the approaching object andusing the non linearity of the projection of the object on theprojection plane of the machine vision system. Moreover, someembodiments can use the shape of the impacting object from objectrecognition algorithms in the machine vision system with predefined dataof known object types, to predict the type and mass density of theobject and accordingly deploy the airbags appropriately. Some of theseembodiments can work with distance and speed measurement in a radarbased system and thereby together predict the size and mass and shape ofthe impacting body. Airbag deployment characteristics can thereby beoptimally designed for impact with for example pedestrians, trucks orcardboard boxes at varying speeds appropriately.

Furthermore, in embodiments with one machine vision camera and one radardetector in the system, in the event of failure of the radar detector,the machine vision system alone can determine the type of impactingobject (and its worst case size) and the velocity of approach for agiven size of the object from the divergence of the profile of theobject, and assuming a worst case size scenario, deploy the airbagsappropriately, and in the event of the failure of the machine visionsystem the radar detector can detect velocity and distance and deploythe airbags assuming the worst type of object.

Yet another embodiment will use secondary slides whose sliding surfacesare slightly inclined upwards towards the center of the vehicle, toallow the secondary slides to negotiate a center tunnel with reducedneed for any arrangements to shear a section of the tunnel. Theconnection surfaces of the secondary slides to the fixed elements of thevehicle at the time of impact and the vehicle seat may be arranged tosupport the seat in the required substantially upright position.

Yet another embodiment, has wheel chairs as passenger support mechanismsfor the disabled, with collapsible wheels such that the chairs may bebacked into clamps that attach on the lower side of the chair supports.In some such embodiments (as illustrated in FIGS. 18A to 18J) theseclamps along with the lower cushion of the car seat 148—(which isspecially made to accommodate the chair support cross members), areextended forward on tertiary slides or extension arms with hydraulicautomation, such that the movement forward and if necessary down,supports the wheel chair by locking the chair clamps 149 to the chaircross supports 150, and then providing adequate support for thepassenger and the wheel chair. The Teritiary Slides or extension arm aresupported by the impact decoupler/Secondary Slides which are in turnattached to the Upper Primary Slides in the extended or loadingposition. FIG. 18B illustrates the position of the seat bottom and clamsjust below the wheel chair prior to attachment to the wheel chair. Oncethe hydraulic mechanism raises the wheel chair off the ground, thePrimary Pivot of the rear wheels 151 may be unlocked and the wheel swungup backwards and locked as noted in FIG. 18C. Notably the Rear wheelssupport much of the passenger weight when the wheel chair is used andtherefore in addition to the pivoting Principal Rear Wheel Support 152the rear wheel in addition has a Rear Wheel Support Strut 153 thatsupports the compressive load when the wheel chair is operational.Threafter the front wheels may be unlocked and swung back on the PrimaryPivots for the Front Wheel 157. This is illustrated in Fingure 18D.

Thereafter the space below the wheel chair is clear and the tertiaryslide or arm mechanism can move the wheel chair back and lock it withand against the Seatback 156 which is specially shaped to accommodatethe cross support members of the wheel chair. This is illustrated inFIG. 18E. Some such embodiments may have the option to release the rigidback support mouting of the wheel chair 158, and thereby benefit fromthe reclining options of the vehicle seat back. In the process of movingback to the seat back 156, the spring loaded locking sleeves 155, thatsupport the Secondary pivot for rear wheel retraction 144 are pushedforward relative to the wheel chair body 11 thereby releasing theSecondary Pivot for rear wheel retraction 154 to allow the wheels toswing in and lock behind the seat back 156. This is illustrated in FIG.18F. The wheel chair is then in a position on the extended impactdecoupler/secondary slide to be transported into the vehicle. Notably inthis wheel chair conversion embodiment, supplementary side and back aircushions may be inflated to fill in the areas where wheel chair supportmembers are in the vicinity of the passenger and also to hold the wheelchair structure securely, thereby providing further protection in theevent of a collision of the vehicle. This wheel chair conversionembodiment has all the side impact protection as the regular seat andhas all the optionality for front impact protection of the safetyshield/harness or more conventional options. FIG. 18G shows a plan viewof the wheel chair prior to the insertion of Seat lower cushion andsupport structure. FIG. 18H illustrates an elevation view of the wheelchair and the seat lower cushion and support structure. Still other ofthese embodiments may use turn tables or other rotating mechanismsrather than the tertiary sliding arrangements or extending arms so thatthe wheel chair may be directly loaded on a turn table mounted on theimpact decoupler/secondary slides, and then rotated into a driving orpassenger position when retracted into the vehicle.

Yet another embodiment has anatomical micro-aircushions on the left andright edges of the support surface of the safety shield connected toselected sacrificial chambers along the bottom edge of said supportsurface. This will provide additional support for the passenger in aside impact, by assisting in preventing body movement outside thecountoured seat under collision conditions.

Yet another embodiment has anatomical micro-aircushions on the outeredges of each of the countoured seats, particularly to cover a part ofthe front of the shoulders the legs and torso in the event of a sidecollision. These anatomical air-cushions use sacrificial chambers on thesides of the seats.

Yet another embodiment minimizes ejection hazards by controlling furtherthe lateral movement of the seats under side impact. In theseembodiments, the Upper primary slide is connected to the lockingmechanisms that hold it to the vehicle under operating conditionsthrough shock absorbers or spring mechanisms that allow controlledmovement of the upper primary slides out of the vehicle when the vehiclesustains a side impact from the far side. In such embodiments the locksdo not disengage when there is a side impact, as the shock absorbingdevices provide the required controlled lateral movement of the far sideupper primary slide under impact.

Yet another embodiment has a flexible stretchable (or folded) materialthat is bound to the protector shield and the “doors” of the vehicle onone of its edges where it makes contact normally with the vehicle body,the other edge of the flexible and stretchable material is bound to aframe that locks to the vehicle body under operating conditions. Undernormal egress and ingress the frame along with the “doors” with theflexible, stretchable material operates as one unit the frame being heldtogether with the “door” with door impact decouplers that fracture ordisengage under impact, thereby allowing the “door” and the upperprimary slide on the far side to extend out of the vehicle while theframe remains locked to the vehicle, and stretching the flexible,stretchable material so that passenger body extremities are not ejectedfrom the vehicle but are retained by the flexible stretchable materialwithin the vehicle.

Yet another embodiment has preinflated inside airbags that are deflatedwhen seats move outwards (on the far side) under impact, threby creatingmore space within the vehicle, minimizing the need for ejection on thefar side under impact.

Yet another set of embodiments has a child or infant support mechanism(CISM) as the passenger support mechanism. For frontal collisionprotection these embodiments may have the following arrangements. Onesuch embodiment has the CISM 224 comprising two support pins 225 thatare located above the center of mass of the occupant and the supportmechanism structure and engages a rotary damped spring with shockabsorbing device (not shown) when inserted into the supports 215. andlocked therein. The damped spring mechanism prevents rotary motion ofthe pins in the supports except under front collision conditions whenthe torque generated by the inertial mass of the occupant and thesupport mechanism structure with a center of mass lower than the pivot,swing the CISM down and forward thereby bringing the occupant closer toa foetal position with the reactive force for deceleration applied tothe occupant significantly from the lower support structure of the CISM.The final position of course is designed not to bring the occupant to apostion that would cause excessive spinal compression. The head and neckon the other hand, will engage and be protected by a safety harness asdisclosed in this invention (not shown and the body will facesubstantially away from the impact. Furhtermore in a front impact, therelevant embodiment has the extendable spring damper 216 which containsa damped spring may extend to increase shock absorbtion, while otherembodiments, have a pivotally mounted arrangement that extends underfront impact. The Arms that constitute 216 Extendable Spring Damperloaded attachment for CISM support in these latter embodiments are airdamper (internal airbag equivalents) loaded for rotary movement. Forsome embodiments the mounting of the CISM can be rigid in the operatingposition i.e. the support of the CISM support pivots 225 on the support215 may be rigidly fixed in the operating position, and support may evenbe on multiple points on the arm of 216 directly supporting the CISM, asthe pivotal movement may be restricted to the elbow of 216 arms and itsattachment to the support members (the Outer rotator 218 in someembodiments or Support Bracket 232 in others). In both the linear androtational embodiments of 216 noted above, we have movement restrictedto a position that orients the occupant to maximize support from theseat bottom and for head and neck support from the safety harness.

This set of embodiments of CISM supports and indeed any embodiments ofPassenger support mechanism may have for side impact protection, one ormore of a nested set of the slidng arrangements disclosed in thisinvention. i.e. The embodiments can have safety beam lower and upperelements -1 attached to the impact decoupler/secondary slide -1 asdisclosed herein (sliding arrangement 1), and a safetybeam lower andupper elements -2 attached to the impact decoupler secondary slide -1with its own impact decoupler secondary slide -2 (sliding arrangement 2)which is attached to the passenger support mechanism that may be an CISMor other passenger support mechanism. Some embodiments use a firstrectangular section linear slidng arrangement, and a second rectangularsection curvilinear sliding arrangement (inner and outer rotators) bothwith shock absorbtion with internal airbag equivalents (which may be airshock absorbers or similar devices). Other embodiments use Cylindricallinear sliding arrangements (sliding arrangement 1) and a rectangularcurvilinear sliding arrangement (sliding arrangement 2). Still otherEmbodiments, use cylindrical linear slides for sliding arrangement 1 andcreate a virtual curvilinear sliding arrangement by pivoting the CISMsupport Bracket 232 in the center and control its movement by aninternal airbag equivalent for combined rotational and linear motionshock absorbtion. This particular arrangement therefore reduces thestructure to a single sliding arrangement and a single pivotalarrangement rather than two sliding arrangements. These embodiments areof course general to any passenger support mechanism including seats.For example the some embodiments may be accomplished with curvilinearssecondary slide on the second set of sliding arnmagments below theseat. Other embodiments may be accomplished with a pivotal arrangementto complement the single secondary sliding arrangment thereby creating avirtual curvilinear second sliding arrangement.

Greater detail of the lateral impact protection arrangements of this setof embodiments for the CISM are described below:

The first embodiments in FIGS. 10A 1–5 have the exendable air damperloaded attachment 216 attached to the Inner rotator for the CISM 217that mates with the Outer rotator and is slidably mouted thereto withinternal airbag equivalents attached between these two elements (notshown) to keep the inner rotator in the operating position as shown inFIG. 10E1, but to rotate as shown in FIG. 10E3 under lateral impact,thereby orienting to the exent possible the occupant to face away fromthe impact and to increase the resistive force accelerating the occupantto be applied by the body of the CISM 224. The Outer rotator 218 has thesecondary slide 111 attached to it. The secondary slide impact decouplerin turn is detachably attached to the safety beam upper element 107.Which is slidably mounted to the safety beam lower element 102 which isrigidly attached to the fixed body members of the vehicle which includesthe rigidly attached seat. Under a predetermined shear force thesecondary slide 111 of 218 is designed to detach from the safety beamupper element 107 and thereafter be slidably attached thereon. Underoperating conditions the Locking pin is in place. A lateral slideassembly assembly may be used for the linear or curvilinear slidingarrangement described herein. When the locking pin 226 engages the slot227 in the secondary slide and the holes 230 in the safety beam lowerand upper elements, the CISM is locked from lateral movement in theoperating position. The Internal Airbag equivalents 228 are uncompressedand either one of them is ready for compression in the event of a sideimpact on the relevant side. When a side impact is encountered, theinertial mass of the CISM and the occupant may provide a lateral forcelarger than the critical shear force to decouple the impact decouplerbetween the secondary slide 111 and the safety beam upper element 107,and thereafter the CISM and attached elements to the Secondary slide 111move against the compression of the air shock absorber or other devicein the Internal Airbag equivalent 228. This provides shock absorbtion inlateral impact to the occupant in the CISM. Simpler versions of thisarrangement that could be used in other embodiments may integrate thesecondary slide 111 and the Safety beam upper element 107, with amatching slot in the safety beam upper element as present in thesecondary slide 111. When the pin is in place, in this simplerarrangement the safey beam lower element is engaged to the ends of thetwo internal airbags this alone keeps the arrangement in the operatingposition. There is no impact decoupling in this simpler arrangement.FIG. 10E2 Shows a loading or access position. This is a convenientposition to load or unload the CISM with the occupant. It is achieved byremoving the locking pin and sliding the Safety Beam Upper element 107on the safety beam lower element 102.

Yet another embodiment, use cylindrical slides for lateral impactprotection. Here Safety Beam Lower Elements 102 slidably supportcylindrical safety beam Upper elements 107, which in this embodiment isa part of the secondary slide 111 (the safety beam upper element 107 mayin other embodiments be detachably coupled to the impact decouplersecondary slides as disclosed in this invention). In this embodiment,the pin that locks the secondary slide (and safety beam upper element)to the internal airbag equivalents 228 (not shown), which are in turnhoused in the cylindrical slot 229, Within the secondary slide and thesafety beam lower element, is located in a pin hole drilled through231—the support key for the outer rotator from the secondary slide. Thepin when locked engages a hole between two sections of the internalairbag equivalents that straddle the hole. The pin if engaged willtherefore compress one or the other of the inside airbag equivalents inthe event of the secondary slide moving under impact conditions relativeto the safety beam lower elements 102 and the fixed elements of thevehicle, providing shock absorbtion. However if the pin is withdrawn,the secondary slide will not engage the internal airbag equivalents 228and will therefore slide easily to a loadiong or access position nearerthe door, for placing the CISM in its supports or removing the CISM fromits supports. A similar pin may be mounted on the outer rotator andengage between a pair of internal airbag equivalents 228 that aremounted inside slots between the inner and outer rotator and engaging ontheir outer end, the inside rotator. When the pin is engaged, itprovides a surface resisting the movement of one of the internal airbagequivalents an thereby provides shock absorbtion under impact. However,when the pin is retracted back into the outer rotator, it allows freesiding between the inner and outer rotators, thereby allowing the CISMmounts to be positioned to easily attach the CISM in a loading position.Moreover, in this embodiment a further refinement would be a cableactivated lever that operated all the pins—in the linear and curvilinearsliding arrangements (similar to a bicycle brake cable) for ease ofoperation of loading and unloading the occupants.

Yet another embodiment uses cylindrical linear slides for lateral impactprotection along with a virtual curvilinear slide implemetation using apivoting arrangement between the CISM support bracket 232 and thesupport member 236 (support for secondary slides, CISM support bracketand internal airbag equivalents) and a dual internal airbag equivalentdevicethat allows compression and expansion 239 mounted between the edgeof the CISM support bracket 232 and the Fixed Support for safety beamlower elements and internal airbag equivalents 235. The 232 may havelateral support flanges for the CISM such that the CISM nests withingthe 232 when in the operating position without obstructing forwarddeployment of the CISM in a front impact. This embodiment has two safetybeam lower elements that each slidably support on their outer surfaceone of the two secondary slides 111 (this embodiment uses the reducedform where the secondary slides are integrated with the safety beamupper element without impact decoupling as disclosed herein) Thesecondary slides are connected together and pivotally support the CISMsupport bracket with the support for secondary slides, CISM supportbracket and internal airbag equivalents 236. The internal airbagequivalents in this embodiment is a dual element that can be compressedin both directions 238. Its center which is the active end that may bemoved relative to its extreme ends under impact forces, is mouted to asupport flange 237. This mount may be disconnected using a pin or otherlocking device to disengage the internal airbag equivalents to aidloading and unloading the occupant in the CISM. (An alternativeembodiment uses single Internal airbag equivalents 228 that onlycompress but don't expant between their ends. Two of these may besubstituted for 238, each rigidly mounted at the outer end to the fixedsupport flange 235 with their pistons pointing inwards and engaged intothe circular slots. The Pin hole 240 for engaging the secondary slideand its attachments is also shown. This arrangement allows a singleInternal Airbag Equivalent to compress while not affecting the other asthe pinstons simply engage the slots and are not fixed within the slots.

In the event of a lateral impact the inertial mass of the CISM withoccupant will exert a force through its center of mass that is withinthe substantially semicircular CISM support bracket, and will thereforecompress the Internal airbag equivalents 238 attached to the Secondaryslide. However, as the second internal airbag equivalent 239 is attachedto the edge of the CISM support bracket this too will undergo extensionor contraction depending on the side on which the impact was received.The reactive forece from the latter internal airbag equivalent willhowever rotate the CISM to face away from the impact.

Notably there are several possible embodiments of this CISM supportmechanism in this invention. Elements of these may be used in differentcombinations and not all elements may be present in any one embodiment.For example any of the front impact arrangements as noted above may beused with any of the lateral impact arrangement noted above. Yet anotherexample of a reduced content embodiment does not hav the lateral rotatorfor side impact to rotate the occupant but simply slides the CISM andthe occupant laterally as disclosed above. Moreover, There are a numberof variations of the CISM support in this invention. For example thesafety beam lower element may be mounted on the bottom seat supportflange 221, back seat support flange or on both. There may be multiplesafety beam lower elements each with their own safety beam upperelements and other disclosed elements attached thereon, working inparallel to provide greater support. Notably an embodiment with thesafety beam lower element attached to the bottom seat support flange 221and comprising inner and outer rotators for lateral impact, will underside impact rotate the occupant to face away from the impact (the centerof mass of the CISM and the occupant needs to be arranged to be belowthe pivot) but in so doing will incline the occupant to the vertical.

Each of these variations in the embodiment have advantages anddisadvantes that performance, geometry and cost will influence. Some ofthese embodiments may be removable from the vehicle and attached to theseat with 3 point seat belts for example with the shoulder strapattachment points 223 on the Back seat support flange 222. Others may bedesigned into the vehicle as in for example a part of the center armrest in the rear seat of a vehicle. The attachment of these embodimentsof he invention may also be with methods available in the background artsuch as “Isofix” fasteners or other lathc arrangements such as with thetop lock flanges 241, the side lock flanges 242 and front lock flanges243.

The side impact performance will in particular will be aided with theside lock flanges 242 being locked into support points attached to thefixed members of the vehicle between the seat cushions on the back orfront seats of the vehicle.

The The side support flanges 244, will aid in bracing the structure andhelping transfer the load from the shock absorbing members to thestructure and the lock flanges or 3 point seat belt as available in thevehicle. In some embodiments the safety beam lower element attached (bybolts not shown through the Side Support flange to the support memberfor the internal airbag equvalent that controls the rotational motion.However, other embodiments may have the side flanges and the entiremodule attached to the side support flanges and the other structuralmembers either in the front or rear facing arrangements for the CISM.

Some embodiments of the invention may have the safety beam upper andlower elemtns along with the secondary slides, internal airbagequivalents and attached hardware, removable and attachable at the frontend of the support structure thereby allowing the installation of arearward facing child seat. Such a seat may not require a front impactprotection mechanism and therefore many such embodiments may have theCISM support bracket directly connected to the CISM. However, furtherrefinements of the invention may have the CISM in two sections—the firstto support the head, neck, thorax, lumbar regions and the pelvis of thechild and the second to support the lower limbs of the child. The CISMsupport bracket may be connected to the first of these and the secondwhich supports a smaller load may be pivotally moutned to the uppersection of the CISM, thereby allowing a recling position for the child.For older children—upto about 40 lbs, leg room in the rearward facingposition becomes important. Embodiments that have a removable car seatcushion with the mountings and locks as discussed below this level willfacilitate this.

As much of the complexity of the invention is external to the CISM, theCISM may be constructed to be very light and made inexpensively, therebyallowing a change in CISM and its support members that attach to theCISM support bracket, to suit the child as it grows older.

Finally the CISM support embodiments disclosed here include alternativesupport structures outside the automobile that can receive the samesupport pivots or lock points. Thereby making the loading and unloadingof children easier. These external support structures include all typesof strollers and bicycle trailers that have the suppot members that lockto the pivots or lock points. Some such laternative structures mayreplicate the impact protection of the CISM support in the vehicle foruse in bicycle trailers and strollers.

Many aspects of the embodiments of the invention for the Child supportMechanism as the passenger support mechanism may be used for adultpassengers as well. The cylindrical safety beam lower elements 11 as inthe Child support embodiment may be modified to attach either directlyor pivotally to the vehicle central body member (pivotal mounting cancontribute to shock absorbtion of the seat) or mounted on a member thatcan raise/lower and tilt the seats by suitable slidable and pivotalattachemtn to the fixed central member using well known approaches inthe background art. The remaining aspects of the embodiment for thechild support case may be replicated after suitable scaling. Inaddition, with gull wing doors or other doors that provide clearance ofthe Passenger support mechanisms as well as doors attached to thesecondary slides as disclosed herein, the Passenger support mechanismscan slide right out of the vehicle as disclosed elsewhere in thisinvention. The Front collision protection arrangement for the Childsupport case will be most relevant for the adult passenger supportmechanism case when the steering wheel and other hardware are not in theway of a movement forward of the Passenger Support Mechanism. This maybe the case in drive-by-wire vehicles where the sterring and othercontrols are mounted on a safety shield as disclosed herein.

FIGS. 10E18, 10E19 illustrate another embodiment of the CISM and itssupports. This embodiment uses multiple cylindrical slides that permetthe lateral displacement of the CISM under impact. Pivoting of the CISMis under the diagonal and under the seat. FIGS. 10E20 and 10E21 show yetanother embodinment of the CISM and its supports with a simplerarrangement where the side pivoting supports each have a preferablyshock absorbing central member that can extend or contract under largeaxial forces or when unlocked for egress and ingress, and two pivots ateach end of connection to the CISM and the CISM frame with these axesparallel to each other on both supports, said pivots being normallyfixed but allowed to rotate for egress and ingress and when under largetorsional stress as in impact. These provide the reqired displacement ofthe center of mass of the CISM without the use of a slide. (i.e, theCISM “rocks” on these pivots to rotate away from the impact and displacethe Center of gravity concurrently) under side impact and also provideshock absorbing motion in the axial direction of the vehicle in a frontimpact. Notably the rotation of the axis of the pivoting supports are inthe same sense (ie both clockwise or both anticlockwise) in the lateralimpact case and in opposite directions in the front impact case.

CONCLUSIONS, RAMIFICATIONS & SCOPE

Thus it will become apparent that the present invention presented,provides a new paradigm for implementing key safety features andproviding utility in accessing passenger vehicles and comfort intravelling in such vehicles. While the above description provides manyspecificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scopeof the present invention, but rather as an exemplification of thepreferred, an additional and an alternative embodiment thereof. Manyother variations are possible.

The present invention provides an arrangement that diverts the impactenergy in impacts away from the passengers to the remaining mass of thevehicle thereby protecting the passengers but decelerating the impactingobject with the remaining mass of the vehicle. Moreover the arrangementsynergistically provides a means for utilitarian easy access to thevehicle for passengers and drivers alike and allows the installation ofmulti-element surround contoured seats for the comfort and protection ofpassengers. Furthermore, the arrangement allows the installation of anew and unique safety harness that may obviate the need for safety beltsand front impact airbags for protection in head-on collisions. Thisarrangement differs sharply from the Background art in that it does notsimply offer to the impacting body a reinforced rigid shell where thepassenger is treated as part of this integral unit, but rather providesselective and differential treatment of the mass of the passengers anddriver of the vehicle vis-à-vis the remaining mass of the vehicle.Furthermore the present invention differs sharply from the Backgroundart in that the resulting structure synergistically permits theinstallation of contoured multi-element surround seats that would not beimplementable without the slide arrangements on either side of thevehicle in the present invention.

The present invention provides a gravity slide drive for my arrangementfor which there is no counterpart in the Background art. This allowsfurther Utility and weight and energy saving in implementing the aboveelements of the present invention.

The present invention includes External side Airbags that differ sharplyfrom the Background art in that for the first time they proactivelycreate a “Just in Time” deceleration zone for the lateral or side impactwith internal and/or external side airbags while not remaining in anextended position under normal operating conditions of the vehicle.

The present invention describes an indo-skeletal structure of thevehicle body that permits the energy transfer from the lateral or sideimpact through compressive members to the body of the vehicle. Unlikethe Background art this indo-skeletal structure is designed to transferenergy to the body of the vehicle without transferring it to thepassengers and driver of the vehicle. The passengers are targeted forprotection with “Safety zones”.

1. In a vehicle normally supported by a surface, said vehicle comprisinga vehicle structure and further comprising a right and a left side andfixed body members, a gravity aided independantly ejectable mechanismfor each of at least one passenger support mechanisms, wherein saidindependently ejectable mechanisms for the passenger support mechanismson one or both of the left side and the rights side of the vehicle aremounted indirectly to said fixed body members said vehicle and includemeans for electing and retracting said passenger support mechanism aidedby gravity in any position of the vehicle supported by said surface,wherein said means for ejecting comprises moving from a predeterminedposition in said vehicle substantially along a lateral axis to facingsubstantially outside the vehicle on the left or right side of saidvehicle, thereby allowing said passengers that ride on said passengersupport mechanisms to egress said vehicle, and wherein said means forretracting comprises moving substantially along a lateral axis from aposition of the passenger facing substantially outside the vehicle onthe side of said vehicle, to a predetermined position in the vehicle,thereby allowing said passenger that rides on said passenger supportmechanism to ingress said vehicle.
 2. The vehicle structure of claim 1,wherein said means for ejecting and retracting facilitates egress andingress of a passenger with the forces of gravity on the passenger andthe forces and timing of motion of the passenger in sitting down in, andstanding up from said passenger support mechanism at the time of egressand ingress respectively.
 3. The vehicle structure of claim 2, whereinsaid means for ejecting and retracting facilitate egress and ingress ofsaid passenger comprises a substantially lateral sliding movement ofsaid passenger.
 4. The vehicle structure of claim 1, wherein said meansfor ejecting and retracting utilize gravitational forces to slidablydrive in a required direction, said passenger support mechanisms,comprising: a) pairs of safety beams/lower primary slides, a member ofeach pair on each of the left and right side of the vehicle, each membercomprising a sliding surface, said safety beams/lower primary slidesbeing pivotally mounted on the fixed body members of the vehicle suchthat said pivotally mounted safety beams/lower primary slides can moveto and be locked into one of at least two possible inclinations from thecenter of the vehicle, wherein said sliding surface on each of saidpivotally mounted lower primary slides assumes a predeterminedinclination to facilitate sliding of slidably attached passenger supportmechanisms, in the required direction; b) energy storing devicesincluding spring mechanisms indirectly attached to each of saidejectable passenger support mechanisms, that partially convert and storethe potential energy of the passengers and said ejectable passengersupport mechanisms moving under gravity; c) passenger operable switchingdevices installed on both the inside and the outside of each of thesides of the vehicle immediately adjoining the passenger supportmechanisms on either side of said vehicle in positions such that saidpassenger operable switching devicess on the inside of each of saidsides of vehicle is acessible to passengers in the outermost passengersupport mechanisms and said passenger operable switching devices on theoutside of said sides of vehicle are accessible to entering passengersoutside the vehicle; d) logic devices that utilize the presence of theweight of the passengers in each of said passenger support mechanisms,the status of passenger operable switching devices inside and outsidethe vehicle and the position of said ejectable passenger supportmechanisms, to operate locking devices that lock said primary slide to arange of said predetermined inclinations and lock the passenger supportmechanisms and attached devices when in the operating position, whereinsaid range of predetermined inclinations of the primary slide are suchthat at either end of said range, compressive forces at the outer end ofsaid primary slides will be transferred to the fixed members of thevehicle along a path entirely within the primary slide, to ensurecompressive strength in any inclination of the primary slides withinsaid range of inclinations; e) Spring mountings attached at one end tothe fixed body members and at the other end to said pivotally mountedprimary slides such that the primary slides are supported while saidprimary slides are in the operating position and maintained by saidspring mountings at the highest inclinations upwards from the center ofthe vehicle possible within the range of inclinations allowable in theoperating position, thereby providing a shock absorbtion function forthe passengers in the vehicle relative to the fixed body members and thesurface traversed by the vehicle.
 5. A vehicle structure as in claim 1,wherein said passenger structure comprises a protective shield on theouter side of said passenger to protect said passenger when said vehicleis in an operating position and wherein said protective shield does notimpede egress and ingress when said vehicle structure is in an accessposition.
 6. In a vehicle normally supported by a surface, said vehiclecomprising a vehicle structure and further comprising a right and a leftside and fixed body members, a gravity aided independently ejectablemechanism for each of at least one passenger support mechanism, whereinsaid independently ejectable mechanism for the passenger supportmechanism on one or both of the left side and the rights side of thevehicle includes means for utilizing the potential energy of physicalpositions of the passenger for egress of the passenger from the vehicle,said means being aided by gravity in any position of said vehicle onsaid surface.
 7. In a vehicle normally supported by a surface, saidvehicle comprising a vehicle structure and further comprising a rightand a left side and fixed body members, a gravity aided independentlyejectable mechanism for each of at least one passenger supportmechanism, wherein said independently ejectable mechanism for thepassenger support mechanism on one or both of the left side and therights side of the vehicle includes means for utilizing the potentialenergy of physical positions of the passenger for ingress of thepassenger to the vehicle, said means being aided by gravity in anyposition of said vehicle on said surface.